Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 6
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
Over $8 billion have been allocated for development of railway transport communications and infrastructure of Uzbekistan, $2.6 billion of which are foreign investments, the congratulation of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, addressed to the staff of the Uzbekistan Railways JSC, read.
The head of state noted that 1.5 billion tons of cargo and 370 million passengers were transported by rail from the day of formation of the joint-stock company. The volume of cargo transportation has increased 2.1 times in recent years, with the volume of passenger transportation increasing twofold.
Rail transport is currently carrying over 60 percent of cargo in Uzbekistan and over 75 percent of passengers.
“In the years of independence, railwaymen built over 1,500 kilometers of new railways, electrified 1,800 kilometers of railway lines, which was an important step in the country's modernization,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.
The president noted that Afrosiyob high-speed electric trains produced by the Spanish company Talgo are carrying out transportation from Tashkent to Samarkand, Bukhara and Karshi. The electric trains became popular both among the residents of the country and foreign guests.
Mirziyoyev also underlined that 16 new railway stations have been built and 10 operating stations have been reconstructed, using high technologies in accordance with international quality standards.
It was earlier reported that the cost of travel in Afrosiyob high-speed trains in Uzbekistan will be increased by 35 percent. At the same time, tickets of the Uzbekistan Railways have been made possible to purchase by Visa payment cards since August.
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