The railway companies of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement on the development of rail transport an infrastructure between the two countries.
The framework collaboration involves the construction of the railway route from China, crossing Kyrgyzstan towards Uzbekistan, resuming the passenger traffic on the Tashkent – Issyk – Kul (Rybachye) – Tashkent railway line from May to September 2021. The companies intend to provide one train service per week for five months starting May. The agreement also includes the creation of a direct dispatcher communication system between Tashkent Unified Dispatch Centre and the train dispatcher of the Jalal – Abad station on the Kyrgyz railways, as well as other issues.
The Acting Chairman of the Board of Uzbekiston Temir Yullari Hasilov Husnutdin Nuriddinovich showed its readiness for close cooperation within the framework of the activities of the trilateral expert working group and supported the choice of the optimal route option with a length of 280 km on the section of the Kyrgyz railway.
Also, the parties comprehensively considered issues related to mutual settlements for transport and payment for the use of freight cars for international traffic.
Kyrgyzstan owns four railway lines in the South-West, in Tash-Kumyr, Jalal-Abad, Osh and Kyzyl-Kiya regions, that offer rail transport connections between country’s industrial areas, densely populated regions and the railway ring in the Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan, which was electrified.
As these lines no dot have connections with the rest of Kyrgyzstan rail network, the country’s rail development depends on the construction of the railway line connecting China, via Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan. The China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan rail route will reduce the distance between the countries by 1,400 km reducing the travel time and costs. According to some estimations, the corridor will transport 10 million tonnes per year and Kyrgyzstan will benefit USD 280 million from transit traffic.
The route will allow integrate Kyrgyzstan within the North-South rail axis and in Eurasian railway system. The China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan rail route will provide access to Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and Europe through the Trans-Afghan corridor. In addition, Kyrgyzstan will have connections with Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line.
Share on:
