One of the development priorities of Tajikistan is the improvement of road infrastructure that is crucial for the country to overcome communication deadlock and turn itself into a transit hub.  The Government of Japan has been funding several projects in the transport sector.

The press center the Ministry of Transport (MoT) says specialists from Japan’s CTII have begun designing a 10-kilomter section of the highway connecting Dushanbe and Bokhtar, the capital of the Khatlon province.  

The issue of carrying out design and survey work at the Qizilqala-Bokhtar section was reportedly discussed at a meeting of Tajik Deputy Minister of Transport Suhrob Mirzoyev with representatives of JICA, and following the meeting, a MoT concluded agreements with Japan’s CTII.

On September 3, Faiziddin Qahhorzoda, the Minister of Finance of Tajikistan and Mr. Hideki Tanabe, the Chief Representative of JICA in Tajikistan signed the grant agreement for the project for rehabilitation of the Qizilqala-Bokhtar section of the Dushanbe-Bokhtar highway.  Japan’s Government has reportedly allocated more than 30 million USD for detailed design.   

According to the MoT press center, the 1st and the 2nd phases of the Dushanbe-Bokhtar highway rehabilitation project are being implemented. 

The first phase includes rehabilitation of a 33-kilometer section of the highway and construction of bridge across the Kofarnihon River.  96.3 million USD has been allocated for rehabilitation of this section of the road.  

The budget for implementation of the second phase, which includes rehabilitation of a 39.6-kilometer section of the highway and construction of bridge across the Vakhsh River, amounts to 107.5 million USD. 

The rehabilitation of the Dushanbe-Bokhtar highway is expected to be completed by 2023.