Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 8
By Demir Azizov - Trend:
Uzbekistan has spent more than $6 billion for the railway development, Uzbek President Islam Karimov said in his greeting to the staff of the Uzbekistan Railways state joint stock company, in connection with the 20th anniversary of the company.
"Over $6 billion of capital investments was spent for the development of rail transport and infrastructure during these years," said the president's message "Around $1.8 billion accounted for foreign investments."
President Karimov said that the over 1,100 kilometers of new railway lines were have been built. Around 3,800 kilometers were upgraded and about 1,000 kilometers of railway lines were electrified. This allowed bringing the total length of railways up to 6,500 kilometers.
The president said that such strategic railway lines as Navoi - Uchquduq - Nukus - Sultanuizdag with a bridge across the Amu Darya River and Tashguzar - Boysun - Kumkurgan were constructed in Uzbekistan for the future development of the country.
The railway sections Marokand - Karshi and Karshi -Termez are being electrified. A new electrified railway line Angren-Pap with a 19-kilometer railway tunnel is being constructed.
"A 223 kilometer new railway Tashguzar - Boysun - Kumkurgan was built through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation in difficult climatic conditions," the president said. "It stretches through a mountain pass at a height of 1,500 meters above sea level. This is unique and has no analogues in Central Asia."
The rolling stock fleet is being upgraded. Around 38 modern electric locomotives and ten passenger locomotives have been purchased for the last ten years. Around 150 locomotives were modernized.
Afrasiab high-speed train produced by the Spanish Thalgo company runs a 344-kilometer Tashkent-Samarkand-Tashkent route and covers this distance for two hours.
Uzbekistan Railways company was established on November 7, 1994 on the basis of the former Central Asian Railway, located on the territory of Uzbekistan.
The total length of Uzbekistan's railways is over 4,200 kilometers. About 60 percent of cargo turnover in the country and almost 80 percent of total export and import cargo transportation accounted for Uzbekistan's railways.