Construction of additional avalanche defense works along the Dushanbe-Chanak highway is expected to begin in the near future, according to the Ministry of Transport (MoT).
An official source at a MoT says Pakistan’s Government has provided 5 million U.S. dollars (USD) for implementation of the project aimed at construction of the avalanche galleries along the Dushanbe-Chanak highway.
According to him, the China Road and Bridge Corporation will implement the project, which provides for construction of 55 avalanche galleries with a total length of 5,665 meters.
In all, 51.5 million USD are needed for implementation of the planned works, the source added.
Today, there are 24 avalanche galleries operating along the Dushanbe-Chanak highway, which connects the central part of Tajikistan and the northern Sughd province. .
Recall, the MoT presented a number of projects for construction of avalanche defense works on the most hazardous sections of mountain roads in September 2017. The presentation of the projects was given on September 27 at a meeting of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction that brought together heads of sixteen involved ministries and agencies as well as heads and senior representatives of fourteen international organizations and donors. The meeting participants exchanged views on effective use of funds provided for reduction of disaster risks in the country.
A special commission has been set up to study the issue of constructing additional avalanche galleries along the Dushanbe-Khujand highway. The commission members include representatives of relevant ministries and agencies as well as the Branch of Innovative Road Solutions (IRS) in Tajikistan, which operates the toll on the Dushanbe-Chanak highway.
The most hazardous place on the Dushanbe-Khujand highway is the section from the Maikhoura area to the Anzob Tunnel.
The commission has come to a conclusion that it is necessary to build avalanche galleries with a total length of more than 5.6 kilometers on this section of the highway, from the 60th to the 72nd kilometer.
An avalanche gallery, snow shed or snow bridge is a type of rigid snow-supporting structure for avalanche control (avalanche defense) or to maintain passage in areas where snow removal becomes almost impossible. They can be made of steel, prestressed concrete frames, or timber. These structures can be fully enclosed, like an artificial tunnel, or consist of lattice-like elements. They are typically of robust construction considering the environments they must survive in.
