DUSHANBE, December 2, 2011, Asia-Plus — Uzbek railroad authorities have not replied to numerous telegrams of Tajik Railways regarding the accident on the train track between the Uzbek towns of Ghalaba and Amuzang for already two weeks, Vladimir Sobkalov, the deputy head of Tajik state railroad company, Rohi Ohani Tojikistan (Tajik Railways), told Asia-Plus Friday afternoon.
We will recall that the bridge on the train track between the Uzbek towns of Ghalaba and Amuzang was damaged overnight on November 16-17 that caused rail traffic between Termez in Uzbekistan and the Tajik city of Qurghon Teppa to be shut down.
According to Sobkalov, more than 320 freight cars bound for Tajik province of Khatlon are being stranded in Uzbek territory. “These freight cars are loaded with fuel, wheat flour and grains, as well as other essential goods,” he noted.
Tajik Railways has not yet received detailed information from O’zbekiston Temir Yollari (Uzbekistan’s state railway company) about the accident and the extent of damage caused to the railway bridge on the Ghalaba-Amuzang train track. Sobkalov considers that Uzbekistan’s state railway company could rehabilitate this small bridge within a day.
“Tajik Railways wrote to O’zbekiston Temir Yollari as early as November 17 proposing assistance to resume rail traffic between Termez and Qurghon Teppa as soon as possible, but the Uzbek state railway company has not yet responded,” Tajik railroad official added.
According to him, the Dushanbe railway station is currently receiving passenger trains bound for the south of the country. “But the Dushanbe railway station is not able to receive the Khatlon-bound freight cars and organize further delivery of cargo into Khatlon,” said the Tajik Railways deputy chairman. “Moreover, only shippers, who are outside Tajikistan, have the right of changing transition points. We informed our Uzbek colleagues of these problems on November 22.”
