Baku, Azerbaijan, March 10
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
Presidents of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan launched the restored part of the Galaba-Amuzang-Khoshadi interstate railway, which was closed back in 2011, Uzbek media reported.
The launch ceremony was broadcast live by the Tajik state TV channels.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon launched the train line by pressing a symbolic button on March 9. The heads of state observed the departure of the first train.
Up until today, the two countries were connected by the Kudukli-Bekabad railway. The Amuzang railway station will now become a new linking point. For that purpose, all the required conditions were created at the station for the border and customs service workers.
The railway will serve interests of the two countries and play an important role in development of transit traffic, creating new possibilities for access to Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. It will also promote development of passenger transit, opening new destinations.
The new railway line between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will also help further increase the trade turnover, import and export, and strengthen the interstate relations.
The Galaba-Amuzang line, connecting southern provinces of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, was closed in November 2011, when the Uzbek side dismounted the railway tracks on its part, saying that the lines were heavily worn out.
Earlier, Uzbekistan completed work on rebuilding the Galaba-Amuzang railway line, through which Uzbek railways reach Tajikistan.
The first freight train was scheduled to arrive from the Uzbek station Termez in the Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan to the Tajik station of Khoshadi on March 1.