DUSHANBE. June 10. “Asia-Plus” — Uzbekistan has resumed transit of freight wagons to Tajikistan, Deputy Head of the Transportation Service of the Tajik Railways state unitary enterprise Andrey Tropin told the AP.
He said starting from June 7, situation with transit of freight wagons through the territory of Uzbekistan to Tajikistan’s Khatlon area has changed.
“From June 7 to June 10 Uzbekistan offered 101 freight wagons to Tajikistan designed for Khatlon area. Currently, 705 freight wagons designed for south Tajikistan remain blocked on the territory of Uzbekistan. A total of 499 wagons loaded with fuel, bitumen, flour, cement and other cargoes remain on the territory of Uzbekistan,” he said.
Tropin noted that Uzbekistan keeps blocking strategically important cargoes. “They release wagons loaded with all other cargoes except fuel,” he stressed.
He said that technically, Tajik Railways is ready to receive up to 100 freight wagons a day. “We can also provide our locomotives to our colleagues, if required,” he said.
He noted that Uzbekistan periodically releases freight wagons to Dushanbe.
Currently, he added, 1.273 freight wagons designed for Dushanbe are being blocked on the territory of Uzbekistan.
After a two-month delay Uzbekistan started to release freight wagons to Tajikistan in early May but blocked the transit after three days.
Uzbekistan says that the blockage is connected with the damage of Termez-Amuzang section which, Uzbekistan says, was damaged by frequent mudflows. Tajikistan rejects such explanation.
