DUSHANBE, October 14, 2008 Asia-Plus — Over the first nine months of this year, some 670,000 tons of cargoes were exported from Tajikistan by rail, while rail imports over the report period have amounted to 3.161 million tons, Vladimir Sobkalov, the deputy head of Tajik Railways, remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on October 14.
According to him, Tajik Railways has carried more than 143,000 tons of farm produce over the same nine-month period, which is 15,000 tons fewer than in the same period of last year. Sobkalov noted that the main reason for reduction of farm produce carriages were the past difficult winter and summer drought that had caused to failure of crops in the country.
He also noted that the overall volume of cargo shipped by rail over the report period has amounted to 10.583 million tons, which 23,000 tons more than in the same period of last year.
In January-September 2008, Tajik Railways has carried 598,000 passengers, which is 33,800 passengers more than in the same period of 2007.
Tajikistan’s rolling-stock includes 1,751 cargo cars, 351passenger carriages and 56 diesel locomotives.
The total length of rails in Tajikistan is 954 kilometers; of that, 680 kilometers are the main railways. At present there are 31 railway stations in the republic.
