In a statement delivered at a joint meeting of both chambers of the parliament, President Emomali Rahmon on January 26 announced the achievement of one of the strategic goals of the country – coming out of the transportation deadlock.
“2,200 kilometers of international category highways have been built in the country over the years of independence,” the head of state said, noting that 1500 kilometers of international category highways will be built in Tajikistan in the near future.
According to him, 15 projects with a total budget of 8 billion somonis are currently being implemented in the country’s transportation sector.
Four projects on rehabilitation and construction of roads connecting Dushanbe and Qizilqala, Kulob and Shamsiddin-Shohin district, Shkev and Qalai Khumb, and Kulob and Muminobov district are expected to be completed before the end of this year.
“Besides, implementation of 10 other projects with a total budget of 8 billion somonis will start this year,” the president said.
Rahmon noted that according to the Global Competitiveness Index, published annually by the World Economic Forum, Tajikistan ranks 50th among 141 countries in terms of quality of roads.
Meanwhile, it is to be noted that while creating the rating, its authors probably did not take into account the quality of roads in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), which have not been rehabilitated over the years of independence.
Tajikistan’s road asset management system program designed for 2021-2024 notes that current road assets of Tajikistan are estimated at 2.566 billion somonis Over the past eight years, the country’s road d assets have reportedly increased nearly eight times. In 2012, Tajikistan’s road assets were reportedly estimated at only 325.8 million somonis.
