DUSHANBE, October 8, 2010, Asia-Plus — A 900-meter Maykhura Tunnel on the Dushanbe-Chanak highway is expected to be put into operation in late October, according to the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC).
The source at a MoTC says the tunnel has been finished and the acceptance commission will inspect it in the second half of October.
He added that the Shahriston Tunnel was expected to be finished by the end of this year.
The 900-meter Maykhura Tunnel and the 5,252-meter Shahriston Tunnel are parts of the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway rehabilitation project. A total cost of construction of these tunnels is US$96.4 million (US$84.3 million for the Shahriston Tunnel and US$12.1 million for the Maykhura Tunnel).
In the meantime, the third stage of the project that includes construction of avalanche protection galleries with a total length of some 3.6 kilometer is reportedly nearing completion and the state acceptance commission will inspect the avalanche protection galleries in late October.
The firs phase of the project ended in November 2009 and more than 330 kilometers of the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway were rehabilitated during the first phase. During the first phase, US$169.5 million were used.
The Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway rehabilitation project was launched in summer 2006. Chinese company, China Road and Bridge Corporation, won the tender and Beijing in 2006 offered Tajikistan grants and loans to fund the project.
A total project cost is estimated at $295.9 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 $15 million are provided by the Government of Tajikistan.
