DUSHANBE, September 19, 2012, Asia-Plus — The project for rehabilitation of a road between Ayni-Panjakent and the Uzbek border is expected to be launched in October, an official source at the Ministry of Transport (MoT) told Asia-plus in an interview.
According to him, tenders on selecting general contractor and international consulting company for construction supervision and project management are under way.
“The tender for selection of the general contractor was announced in June and eight companies from South Korea, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Italy and China have lodged their applications for participation in the tender,” the source said.
He added that some 30 companies had applied for participation in the tender for technical supervision. “Six companies have been put on the list and the tender results will be come known before the end of this year,” the source noted.
We will recall that the Asian Development Bank announced last week that it is providing a $100 million grant to help Tajikistan upgrade the vital road Ayni-Panjakent-Uzbek border in northern Tajikistan.
The road is reportedly part of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Corridor 6 that spans about 10,000 kilometers m linking Europe and the Russian Federation to the Middle East and South Asia.
The 113-kilometer road — part of the historic Silk Road — runs along the Zarafshon River through the Zarafshon Valley, crossing the Ayni and Panjakent districts before ending at the border with Uzbekistan.
Improvements to this road are expected to increase regional connectivity, reduce transport costs, and strengthen competitiveness. This will also improve access to markets and social services for impoverished local communities; stimulate development of agriculture, tourism and mining industries that in return create job opportunities; and improve the region’s living standards.
The grant will finance road upgrading and improvements to drainage structures and bridges, improve of road safety, upgrade the Sarazm border post infrastructure, and bolster community development, including improving feeder roads, public facilities and training local communities.
