ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, Jan. 3
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
The governments of Tajikistan and Afghanistan have signed an agreement on the construction of the Jaloliddini Balkhi (Kolkhozobod) -Jaihun-Nizhny Pyanj-Sherkhan Bandar (Afghanistan) railway, Trend reports referring to Tajik media.
The project will allow improving Tajikistan’s communication to Afghanistan, which will give access Turkmenistan's railways.
The Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan noted strategic importance of the agreement, which creates the basis for the implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan (TAT) railway project.
The document was signed by Tajikistan’s Minister of Transport Khudoyor Khudoyorzoda, and by Head of Afghanistan’s Department of Railways Mohammad Yamma Shams. The trilateral memorandum on the construction of the Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Turkmenistan railway was signed in March 2013.
In November 2016, a railway was launched in the east of Turkmenistan from the Turkmen Atamurat city to the Afghan Akina settlement. The Turkmen side independently completed the construction of the Atamurat – Ymamnazar section, paved the road through the Turkmen-Afghan border, and also extended a line through a small section of five kilometers from the Turkmen Ymamnazar border village to the Afghan Akin point.
Within the framework of the project, Gulistan and Ymamnazar stations, and two large bridges across the Turkmen Karakum River were raised. As a result, the new road should connect the Afghan Akina – Andkhoy section with the Turkmen Atamurat – Ymamnazar section and the Tajik Panj section.
It is expected that this large-scale project will become part of the Asian International Transport Corridor, which will enter to the extensive railway network of China and through it to the markets of the Asia-Pacific region.