, July 11, Asia-Plus - The implementation of the project aimed at rehabilitation of the highway Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak (Uzbek border) is officially commencing in the Varzob district today, according to information from presidential press service.    

According to the source, President Emomali Rahmonov and top manager of China ’s State Road -building Corporation “ China Road ” Chen Yushen as well as high-ranking Tajik and Chinese state officials are attending a ceremony of the official launch of the project in Varzob.  

As it had been reported earlier, China allots more than 603.9 million U.S. dollars in long-term loans to Tajikistan for implementing three projects in Tajikistan : two in the field of energy (construction of high-voltage electricity lines) and one in the field of transportation.  Agreements on these projects were signed in Shanghai on June 14 on the results of meeting of President Rahmonov with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao.  Rahmonov met with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of his visit to China [on June 14-15] to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).  

Tajik Ministry of Transport and China ’s Corporation “ China Road ” signed an agreement on rehabilitation of the road linking Tajikistan and Uzbekistan (Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak).  The estimated budget for the implementation of this project is nearly US$296 million.  Of this amount, US$281.2 million are provided by China in loans.  This project designed for two years includes full rehabilitation of some sections of 410-kilometer road and bridges as well the construction of a five-kilometer Shahriston tunnel in the Sughd province.    

More than 50 Chinese specialists have arrived in Tajikistan to study the highway, according to information from the Ministry of Transport (MoT). Besides, China has already delivered to Tajikistan 25 special construction machines for implementing the project.