DUSHANBE, April 15, 2010, Asia-Plus – The Government of Tajikistan is currently reviewing a mechanism of road toll management for the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway, Suhrob Sharipov, director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Tajikistan, told reporters in Dushanbe today.
According to him, when making decision on introduction of the road toll mechanism for this highway relevant ministries and departments should have proceeded from the principle of social fair. “However, some officials probably thought about their pockets or budgets of their departments rather then about social situation of the Tajik people,” said Sharipov, “Adoption of such decisions must not negatively impact living conditions of the population. Relevant structures must thoroughly review their decision and I believe they will.”
We will recall that under the present mechanism of road roll management for the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway that was introduced on April 1, vehicles are charged per kilometer; cars, trucks with load capacity of up to two tons and buses with no more than 19 seats pay 30 dirams (0.3 somoni) per kilometer, while trucks with load capacity of 2 to 7 tons and buses with 20 to 39 seats pay 60 dirams per kilometer, and trucks with load capacity of 7 to 14 tons and buses with more than 40 seats pay 1.50 somoni per kilometer. Heavy trucks with load capacity of 14 and more tons pay 1.88 somoni per kilometer. To-date, two toll stations have been built on this highway connecting the center and the north of Tajikistan. In all, seven toll service stations will be built on this highway.
