KHUJAND, October 16, 2008, Asia-Plus — A commission arrived in Khujand on October 14 for the formal acceptance of the Sughd section of the Dushanbe-Chanak road, rehabilitation of which is nearing completion, the deputy Sughd governor, Akram Qosimov, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
The commission members include representatives of the Chinese company implementing the project, as well as representatives of Tajikistan’s ministry of transport and traffic police directorate.
During three days, the commission will familiarize itself with the progress of construction works. The commission started its visit to the Sughd province with inspecting the section of the road in the Shahriston district.
The commission is summing up the results of inspection today. Rehabilitation of the Sughd section of the road should be completed before the winter, the deputy governor said.
Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway rehabilitation project, aimed at improving road communications between Dushanbe, Khujand and the Uzbek border town of Chanak, was launched in summer 2006. Chinese company won the tender and Beijing in 2006 offered Tajikistan grants and loans to fund the project. A total project cost is estimated at some $296 million, including $281.2 million provided by the Chinese government in a form of a long-term loan. The loan carries a 20-year period and an interest rate of 2 percent per annum. The remaining some $14 million are provided by the government of Tajikistan.
