DUSHANBE, January 19, 2012, Asia-Plus — Feasibility study for construction of a Tajik stretch of a rail link that will connect Kashgar (China) and Herat (Afghanistan) is expected to be completed by May this year, Vladimir Sobkalov, the first deputy head of Tajik Railways, told reporters in Dushanbe on January 18.
According to him, the new rail link will connect Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and China that will boost trade, increase exports, and ease transit costs in the region, as well as expand passenger traffic.
Iran has financed the feasibility study for construction of the Tajik stretch of the railroad, Sobkalov noted.
We will recall that Iranian company, Metro, has been conducting the feasibility study for construction of the Tajik stretch. Tajik Ministry of Transport and Iranian company, Metro, signed an agreement on conducting the feasibility study on October 29, 2010. Iran has given 1 million U.S. dollars in no-strings aid to Tajikistan for conducting the feasibility study.
The Tajik stretch is 392 kilometers in length and the most complex section is from the town of Vahdat to Karamyk (Kyrgyz border). A total length of this section is 270 kilometers. Because of complex relief, 8-10 million U.S. dollars are reportedly needed for construction of one kilometer of this section. The project also includes construction of 16 kilometers of tunnels and 47 bridges
