DUSHANBE, July 22, 2013, Asia-Plus — The construction of the Tajik section of the 400-kilometer rail link that will connect Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan is still under planning, Tajik Railways (Tajik state rail company) top manager Amonullo Hukumov told journalists in Dushanbe on July 22.
According to him, the issues related to financing the construction of the Tajik 50-kilometer section will be solved after completion of feasibility study for implementation of the project.
We will recall that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for construction of the rail link connecting the three countries was signed during a trilateral meeting of the presidents of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan that took place in the Turkmen capital Ashgabat on March 20 on the sidelines of the International Navrouz Celebrations.
The 400-kilometer railroad is expected to connect the Afghan town of Akina-Andkhoy to Atamurat-Ymamnazar in Turkmenistan and Panj in Tajikistan. Turkmen workers are also to build the Afghan section of the railway.
The construction work is scheduled to be finished by 2015. The railway link will play an important role in strengthening the economies of the countries and peoples in the region.
China, Iran and Kyrgyzstan are expected to join this ambitious project.
