DUSHANBE
, July 25, Asia-Plus —
Tajikistan
’s Railways has needs in investments for modernizing its rolling stock and opening new rail lines.
At present Tajik railways is considering a series of investment projects, Vladimir Sobkalov, Deputy Chairman of Tajik Railways, told journalists in
Dushanbe
on July 25.
According to him, following surveys carried out by Russian specialists in
Rasht
Valley
(eastern
Tajikistan
) the Tajik railways in 2002 proposed an idea of the construction of railway from
Tajikistan
to
China
via
Kyrgyzstan
. “Implementation of this project will allow reviving the
Great Silk Route
and increasing
Tajikistan
’s incomes by means of transit transportations,” said Mr. Sobkalov, “This rail line is very promising but we need money to fund this project.”
Since the rail line will pass through mountain area and it is necessary to built tunnels and other infrastructure the estimated budget for the implementation of this project is more than US$4.5 billion, according to Vladimir Sobkalov.
During the news conference it was also noted that
Tajikistan
was currently negotiating with interested sides three other projects with a total budget of US$300 million.
Speaking to journalists, Narziqul Zohirov, Deputy Chairman of Tajik Railways, noted that that this year, experts from the Tajik Railways have negotiating the project for the construction of the railway from
Dushanbe
to Qurghon Teppa with Chinese specialists three times. A total length of this rail line is 160 kilometers. “The construction of this railway is supposed to officially commence by the end of this year,” Mr. Zohirov noted.
Besides, the Tajik Railways has also been tasked to work out the project for the construction of a 73-kilometer railway from Qurghon Teppa, the capital of the Khatlon province, to the city of
Kunduz
in
Afghanistan
. The work on this project is under way and it is necessary to carry out feasibility studies for the construction of this railway.
The third project is aimed at electrification of a 109-kilometer railway from Konibodom to Bekabad (
Uzbekistan
). The estimated budget for the implementation of this project is more than US$60 million.
