DUSHANBE
, March 14, Asia-Plus – To finish the main Anzob tunnel facilitating transportation between the
northern province
of Sughd and central part of
Tajikistan
it remains to excavate some 232 meters, Asia-Plus has learned from Ms. Robiya Zavgiyeva, head of road policy department of the Ministry of Transportation.
According to her, the tunnel is planned to be finished in a week, by the date fixed – March 20. We will recall the work on excavating a five-kilometer ventilating tunnel was completed last Wednesday [March 8]. Ms Zavgiyeva says the tunnel will have been completely put into operation by the end of the year.
The Anzob tunnel is being excavated with aid of Iranian specialists. The Iranian company “Sobir International” has been working on the Anzob tunnel project since late 2003.
The total budget for the construction of the tunnel is US$39 million.
Iran
has invested US$31.2 million in this project – US$10 million in a form of grant and US$21.1 million in a form of long-term loan.
Experts say once the Anzob tunnel project becomes operations it will drop the transit time by four to five hours.
