DUSHANBE, April 10, 2013, Asia-Plus — Iran is expected to complete construction of Istiqlol Tunnel by the end of September. Iran’s Saber International has been chosen to complete the construction of the tunnel.
Deputies of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament have endorsed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the governments of Tajikistan and Iran on completion of the construction of the Istiqlol Tunnel.
A regular sitting of the fourth session of Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on Aril 10.
Speaking at the session, Minister of Transport Nizom Hakimov noted that the MoU was signed in September 2011.
The document reportedly provides for allocation of additional 6 million U.S. dollars for completion of the construction of the Istiqlol Tunnel. This amount includes US$3 million grant provided by the Government of Iran and US$3 million provided by Tajikistan’s national budget.
Iran’s Saber International has been chosen to complete the construction of the tunnel and Iran is expected to complete the construction by the end of September, the minister said.
The Istiqlol Tunnel, better known among the population as the Anzob Tunnel, has been built with assistance of Iranian specialists. Iran’s Saber International has constructed the Istiqlol Tunnel. The total project cost was estimated at 40 million US dollars, and Iran has provided US$10 million in a form of grant and extended a preferential loan worth US$21 million to Tajikistan. The tunnel makes the highway from Dushanbe to Khujand open for traffic the whole year round and drops the transit time by four to five hours. An official opening ceremony of the Istiqlol Tunnel was held in July 2007; however, some works have remained unfinished.
The Istiqlol Tunnel is a five kilometer long tunnel located 80 kilometers northwest of Dushanbe. It connects the Tajik capital to Tajikistan’s second largest city, Khujand. It is also a transit route between Dushanbe and Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent. Previously, especially during the cold seasons, a lack of a direct link between northern and southern Tajikistan led to disruptions of commerce.
