Causes of Delay in Road Construction Projects in Afghanistan

Delays in construction projects result in problems such as cost overruns, disputes between owners and contractors, and project abandonments. Many road construction projects in Afghanistan have experienced delays due to several factors. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial to explore the causes of such delays to minimize their effects in the future. Within this context, the aim of this study is to identify the causes of delays to road construction projects in Afghanistan. Interviews and questionnaires were carried out with participants from the private and public sectors in Afghanistan. Causes of delays were categorized into six main groups: external, owner, contractor, project and contract, design, and consultant factors. The analysis identified the contractor category as the main group of causes of delays with a mean value of 3.07. Political situation, war, and insecurity was determined to be the most important cause of delay with a mean value of 4.29. The top 10 causes of delays are discussed and some recommendations for minimizing future delays to road construction projects are proposed. The findings can benefit national and international construction companies seeking to invest in Afghanistan’s road sector and help project managers develop strategies to improve project performance.