DUSHANBE
, June 28, Asia-Plus –
Tajikistan
’s Government intends to propose to
Iran
financing and implementation of one of four transportation investment projects.
According to information from the Ministry of Transport, the issue of providing funds to
Tajikistan
for the construction of the “Chormaghzak” tunnel on the highway from
Dushanbe
to Kulob will be considered during a visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to
Tajikistan
due in late June or early July.
Besides the construction of the “Chormaghzak” tunnel, these transportation investment projects also include the construction of the railway Vahdat-Yovon costing US$140.2 million, and the construction of two sections of the road Kulob-Darvoz — Anjirobi Poyon-Shagon and Shagon-Zighar (second phase).
The Transport Ministry source says these projects were submitted for consideration to Kuwaiti and Saudi Funds and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in mid-May already. “The IDB has provided funds for the implementation of two of them — the construction of two sections of the road Kulob-Darvoz,” said the source, “The other two projects will be submitted for consideration during negotiations with the Iranian president.”
In the meantime, according to information from the unit for the implementation of the Shagon-Zighar project, the implementation of the second phase of this project will start in the autumn and it is supposed to be completed by 2007. The source says the project’s total estimated budget is more than US$15 million, comprising IDB’s loan more than US$13 million, and some US$2 million equivalent of the Tajik government financing. The first phase of the Shagon-Zighar project was completed in May last year.
