DUSHANBE, January 29, Asia-Plus -- 1.721 billion somonis (equivalent to more than $500 million) will be invested in Tajikistan’s transportation sector in the coming three yeas, Transport and Communications Minister Abdurahim Ashurov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 26.  

According to him, 22 projects aimed at rehabilitation, reconstruction and construction of roads are currently being implemented in the country.  “Within the next three years, were plan to build a total of 1,553 kilometers of roads in Tajikistan,” the minister said, noting that the projects are being implemented with participation of Chinese, Iranian and Italian companies.  

Ashurov noted that they are currently negotiating with the Chinese side the possibility of opening of regular all-the-year-round traffic via the border crossing on the Kulma pass in the Murgab district of Gorno Badakhshan.   

“Recently, a contract on implementation of the first phase of the project for rehabilitation of the road from Dusti to Panji Poyon in the Khatlon province was singed in Japan,” said the minister, “Besides, the work on conducting a feasibility study for rehabilitation of the road from Qurghon Teppa, the capital of the Khatlon province, to Dusti is under way.” 

He also noted that Tajikistan had offered China, Japan and other international donors the project for rehabilitation of the road Guliston-Farkhor-Panj-Dusti in Khatlon.  “Recently we offered this project for consideration to Iran and a delegation of Iranian specialists is expected to arrive in Tajikistan in a month,” Ashurov said.   

The minister also said that they last year started the work on the construction of tunnels Shahriston in the Sughd province and Shar-Sahr in Khatlon, as well as the second phase of the project for rehabilitation of the road Dushanbe-Vahdat-Nurobod-Jirgatol-Saritosh (Kyrgyzstan) and launched the project for reconstruction of the road from Dushanbe via Khujand to Chanak (Uzbekistan).  

“The main work on the construction of the Anzob tunnel was completed last year and a state commission will formally accept the tunnel in April this year,” Ashurov added.