The Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan (MoT) says construction of a light metro in Dushanbe is scheduled to start this year.
"Preparations for the feasibility study are expected to be completed by April–May 2025, and detailed planning for the metro construction will begin as early as June–July," the MoT’s official website reports.
The construction of the metro is part of the National Program for the Development of the Transport Complex until 2025, which was adopted in 2011.
In March 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for designing the metro system in Dushanbe was signed by Tajikistan’s Minister of Transport, Azim Ibrohim, and Kim Han Yong, Chairman of the National Railroad Corporation of the Republic of Korea.
On August 22, 2023, Tajikistan’s Ministry of Transport Azim Ibrohim and the representative of “Eximbank” of South Korea Kwon Byeong-yoon signed in Dushanbe a MoU on financing the preliminary study and feasibility study of the construction of a light metro in Dushanbe.
Representatives of this bank agreed to finance not only preliminary survey work, but also the detailed development of the project.
At the initial stage, it is planned to build a 10.5-kilometer branch line from the southern gate of the capital to the State Circus building. Authorities highlight that the terrain along this route is suitable, and constructing the line there will enhance road traffic safety.
The South Korean side, according to the MoT, undertook to gradually train local specialists for the proper maintenance of the proposed subway.
Additionally, the Ministry of Transport has outlined plans for improving road infrastructure this year.
What changes are expected in Tajikistan’s road network in 2025?
In the first half of 2025, construction of the Qalaikhumb–Vanj–Rushan Border stretch of the Dushanbe-Kulob-Darvoz-Khorog-Kulma highway in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) will be completed, reducing the road’s length by 16 km. This will be achieved through the construction of two tunnels: one 1.8 km long and the other 3.4 km.
4.5 kilometers of roads, 550 meters of avalanche galleries, and two bridges will be completed—one 82 meters long over the Shorv River and the other 200 meters long over the Ghund River—near the village of Barsem, GBAO’s Shugnan district,.
In the Sughd Province, 52 kilometers of roads of both national and international significance are planned to be restored.
Within the next two years, dozens of kilometers of roads, bridges, tunnels, and avalanche galleries will be introduced into operation in Tajikistan. Additionally, infrastructure improvements will include the construction of gas stations, service centers, shops, campgrounds, and hotels, making travel across the country more comfortable," the MoT’s official website states.
This year, the reconstruction of the Danghara–Guliston highway will begin, transforming it into a model green corridor. The project will employ innovative technologies to create eco-friendly roads.
The project includes the rehabilitation of the worn-out two-lane Danghara–Guliston highway, which is 49 km long, expanding it to four lanes.
The government of Tajikistan will allocate US$23 million for this project, while the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will provide a US$40 million loan. The project is expected to be completed by 2030.
