DUSHANBE/PANJAKENT, May 28, Asia-Plus  -- The Anzob Pass linking the Sughd province with central part of the country will probably not be open for traffic this year, Asia-Plus ahs learned at the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC).  

The source at a MoTC said that the ministry has not yet received instruction from the government to open the pass for traffic.  

Usually, the Anzob Pass is open fro traffic from May through November.   

In the meantime, the head of the unit for maintenance of automotive in Sughd’s Ayni district, Sadriqul Sherbuttayev, told Asia-Plus today that it is not planned to open the Anzob Pass for traffic this year because vehicles may proceed via a 5.5-kilometer Istiqlol Tunnel dug under the Anzob Pass.

Referring to the drop in the transit time by four to five hours, he said that the tunnel provides traffic. 

We will recall that the tunnel has been constructed by Iranian company Sabir International.  According to the MoTC, construction work in the tunnel is still under way and will be finished in September.