DUSHANBE, July 30, 2009, Asia-Plus — 222 million US dollars have been spent for implementation of the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway rehabilitation project so far, Qodir Saidov, director the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, 223 kilometers of this 354-kilometer highway have already rehabilitated.
“A total cost of the first phase of the project, which includes construction bridges, relieving walls and other protective facilities, is 169 million US dollars,” said Saidov, “The second phase includes construction of tunnels, including the Shahriston Tunnel, which is more than 5 kilometers in length. They have already constructed 3,147 meters of the Shahriston Tunnel to this date.” A total cost of the second phase of the project is 96 million US dollars.
At present more than 2,000 people, including 509 Tajik nationals, are currently involved in implementation of the project, the PIU director said.
The third phase includes construction of 23 anti-avalanche galleries with a total length of 3,645 meters and the cost f the third phase of the project is 30 million US dollars.
Asked about effects of the global financial crisis, Saidov said that the crisis had practically not affected the project.
We will recall that Tajikistan and China signed an agreement on rehabilitation of this highway on June 15, 2006.
Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway rehabilitation project, including construction of the Shahriston Tunnel, 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 soft 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.
The first and second phases of the project are expected to be finished in the second half-year of 2010 and the project itself will be finished in 2011.
