DUSHANBE, June 3, 2013, Asia-Plus -- The Branch of Innovative Road Solutions (IRS) in Tajikistan, which operates the toll on the Dushanbe-Chanak highway, plans to replace the tolling system of operation of the Dushanbe-Chanak highway.

According to the IRS press center, they have announced an international tender for replacement of the existing tolling system and the Russian company, Techno-Traffic, has shown interest in participation in the tender.

Specialists from Techno-Traffic reportedly visited Tajikistan in late May to get acquitted with the Dushanbe-Chanak project and study the existing tolling system.

IT specialists from IRS have provided them with detailed information about the existing tolling system.

We will recall that IRS was permitted to operate the toll on the Dushanbe-Chanak highway.  A 354-kilometer toll road from Dushanbe to Chanak links Tajikistan''s capital with Uzbekistan through the northern province of Sughd.

The highway was 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, 2010.

Seven toll-collection points (plaza) now function on the Dushanbe-Chanak high-way: Varzob; Hushyori; Maikhoura; Shahriston, Istaravshan, Dehmoy; and Chorukh.

Established in 2002, Techno-Traffic, with headquarters in Moscow, is reportedly the only company in Russia to provide a full range of services for deploying turn-key toll systems in highways.