DUSHANBE, August 6, 2010, Asia-Plus -- Innovative Road Solutions Ltd (IRS), the private company in charge of the toll road Dushanbe-Chanak, has opened additional lines at the Varzob plaza, according to IRS.

The source says new lines have been launched to raise the plaza capacity and void traffic jam.

We will recall that the highway from Dushanbe to Chanak was recently upgraded by Chinese companies and paid for with a $280 million loan from China.  The Tajik government decided that in order to repay the loan to China, a toll would be collected for using the road starting on April 1.

Vehicles are charged per kilometer: cars, trucks with load capacity of up to two tons and buses with no more than 19 seats pay 30 dirams (0.3 somoni) per kilometer; trucks with load capacity of 2 to 7 tons and buses with 20 to 39 seats pay 60 dirams per kilometer; and heavy trucks with load capacity of 14 and more tons pay 1.88 somoni per kilometer.