Which among the following statements about the Zaranj-Delaram road is/are correct? I. It was constructed by Border Road Organization in Afghanistan. II. It links In dia with Afgh ani stan via Pakistan III. The road will open up market for Indian goods in Afghanistan via Iran. Select the correct answer using the code given below

The Zaranj-Delaram road (Route 606) is a 218-km highway in Afghanistan constructed by India's Border Roads Organisation (BRO) [c1, t2]. Statement I is correct as the BRO completed this strategic project in 2009 despite significant security challenges [t2, t7]. Statement II is incorrect because the primary purpose of the road was to bypass Pakistan, which has historically denied India transit rights for trade with Afghanistan [t1, t2]. Statement III is correct as the highway connects Zaranj on the Iranian border to Delaram, which links to Afghanistan's Garland Highway [t1, t4]. This creates a vital trade corridor from the Iranian port of Chabahar to major Afghan cities like Kabul and Kandahar, thereby opening up markets for Indian goods in Afghanistan and Central Asia via Iran rather than Pakistan [t4, t5, t9].

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 12: Transport, Communications and Trade > Roads > p. 2
2. [2] https://www.orfonline.org/research/the-afghanistan-factor-in-india-s-approach-to-central-asia
3. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route_606_(Afghanistan)
4. [4] https://www.mea.gov.in/uploads/publicationdocs/176_india-and-afghanistan-a-development-partnership.pdf