Kabul Advances Plan for Covered Markets to Organize Street Trade

Urban development in the Afghan capital is entering a new phase as the Kabul Municipality moves forward with the design and planning of five major covered markets. The initiative, aimed at centralizing street commerce, is part of a broader "city order" campaign to alleviate traffic congestion and clear public sidewalks. Officials announced that the facilities will be located in districts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 11, serving as dedicated hubs for the city’s burgeoning informal economy.\n\nSpokesperson Nematullah Barakzai confirmed that nearly 20,000 street vendors have already been registered as part of a formalization process mandated by a national decree. This registration is intended to help authorities allocate stall space more efficiently and monitor trade activities across the capital. The municipality views the creation of these permanent structures as a solution to the seasonal and environmental challenges faced by sellers who currently operate in open-air conditions.\n\nThe project follows a directive from the leadership of the Islamic Emirate, which ordered all municipalities to designate specific zones for vending. For years, Kabul’s streets have been clogged with handcarts and temporary stalls, leading to frequent friction between sellers and urban planners. By providing designated commercial areas, the administration hopes to transition these micro-entrepreneurs into a more regulated and sustainable business model.\n\nHowever, the transition has not been without its difficulties. Recent relocations to areas like Chaman-e-Hozori have drawn mixed reactions from the vendor community. While some appreciate the move toward order, many shopkeepers have reported a sharp decline in customer foot traffic compared to their previous roadside locations. Sellers have also voiced concerns over the financial burden of setting up new stalls, with some reporting significant personal costs.\n\nInfrastructure improvements are concurrent with these vendor reforms. The municipality has recently completed hundreds of kilometers of road repairs and installed thousands of streetlights to modernize the capital's logistics. Officials maintain that while some relocation sites are currently temporary, the final urban plan will eventually provide fixed, commercially viable locations that benefit both the city's aesthetics and the vendors' livelihoods.\n\nAs design work concludes, the next phase will involve the physical construction of the markets and the final allocation of spaces. The Kabul Municipality has urged residents and sellers to cooperate with the new regulations, warning that continued occupation of unauthorized sidewalks will no longer be tolerated once the new markets are operational. The success of the program will likely depend on balancing urban enforcement with the economic survival of the city's most vulnerable traders.