DUSHANBE, January 25, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- The Iranian company, Metro, is delaying the feasibility study for construction of a Tajik stretch of a rail link that will connect Kashgar (China) and Herat (Afghanistan), Minister of Transport Nizom Hakimov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 24.

“To-date, Iranian specialists have submitted only the preliminary reports on separate sections, while they should have submitted the final report to this day,” said the minister.  “An agreement on conducting the feasibility study was signed in October 2010 and the Iranian company pledged itself to conduct the feasibility study in eight months.”

This rail link will connect Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and China that will boost trade, increase exports, and ease transit costs in the region, as well as expand passenger traffic.

It is to be noted that Iran has financed the feasibility study for construction of the Tajik stretch of the railroad Iran through giving 1 million U.S. dollars in no-strings aid to Tajikistan for conducting the feasibility study.

The Tajik stretch is 392 kilometers in length and the most complex section is from the town of Vahdat to Karamyk (Kyrgyz border).  A total length of this section is 270 kilometers.  Because of complex relief, 8-10 million U.S. dollars are reportedly needed for construction of one kilometer of this section.  The project also includes construction of 16 kilometers of tunnels and 47 bridges.

We will recall that Vladimir Sobkalov, the first deputy head of Tajik Railways, told reporters on January 18 that the feasibility study for construction of a Tajik stretch of the Kashgar-Herat railroad is expected to be completed by May this year.