Arab Center for Alternative Planning Warns New Druze Town May Hinder Kabul's Growth
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
The Arab Center for Alternative Planning warns a new Druze town near Kabul will not solve the housing crisis and may impede Kabul's growth. The plan, announced October 6, 2026, proposes 1,000 units but overlooks existing Druze town development needs. The center criticizes site selection and calls for regional studies prioritizing existing towns' expansion and planning justice for all communities.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A new Druze town near Kabul may restrict expansion for Kabul and neighboring Arab towns, warns the Arab Center for Alternative Planning.
- The proposed town, announced October 6, 2026, is criticized for not addressing the root causes of the Druze housing crisis.
- Historical Druze land areas have shrunk significantly, with many buildings lacking permits, indicating planning policy failures.
- The site selection criteria favored state land over the needs and expansion potential of adjacent towns like Kabul.
- The center calls for comprehensive regional studies and prioritizing the development and expansion of existing Druze towns.
The Arab Center for Alternative Planning has cautioned against a government plan to establish a new Druze town near the Yavor Junction, northwest of Kabul. The center argues that the project, slated to house approximately 5,000 residents in about 1,000 housing units on 600 dunams, will not address the root causes of the housing crisis in existing Druze communities. Instead, it may restrict urban expansion possibilities for Kabul and neighboring Arab towns.
The center's concerns were detailed in a professional paper released after the plan's announcement on October 6, 2026. It called for a re-evaluation of the proposed site and alternative planning options before proceeding to detailed planning stages, emphasizing the development and expansion of existing towns.
The paper highlights that historical Druze town areas have shrunk significantly, from 465,000 dunams in 1946 to 128,000 dunams in 2022, with 69% of local Druze authorities' areas still undeveloped. The existence of 2,061 unlicensed buildings in 13 Druze local authorities reflects a gap between resident needs and current planning policies.
The center expressed particular concern that the proposed site is adjacent to lands historically and geographically linked to Kabul, with parts overlapping its historical jurisdiction. This raises questions about the project's impact on Kabul's land reserves and future expansion potential, especially since Kabul's master plan was approved in 2013.
Furthermore, the center criticized the site selection criteria, which heavily favored state land ownership over the needs and expansion potential of neighboring towns. The area is also designated as "preserved fabric" under the national plan "TAMA 35," which promotes the development and expansion of existing towns. The center urged a comprehensive regional study of Kabul's and its neighbors' needs and available alternatives before detailed planning, advocating for planning justice and equality for all communities.
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