BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 1. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Republic of Uzbekistan have signed a $108 million loan to electrify the Bukhara-Miskin-Urgench-Khiva railway line, Trend reports via the bank.
By electrifying 465 kilometers of railway and launching a high-speed service on the route, the project will improve connectivity and further boost tourism by linking remote areas of the Khorezm region in western Uzbekistan to the central and eastern regions of the country.
Upon completion, the project will enable the operation of high-speed trains that run at up to 250 kilometers per hour, cutting travel time between Bukhara and Khiva regions of the country by up to three hours and making it possible to journey from the capital Tashkent to Khiva in seven hours.
The project will also help transform the railway into a tourism-led economic corridor by supporting the urban development and sustainable tourism industry of the municipalities along the rail line.
The implementation of an electronic ticketing system under the project will make it easier for tourists and domestic passengers to use the railways and support efforts to attract visitors to the region.
The electrification of the railway will further enhance the role of rail as a green mode of transport and will potentially cut over 81,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
This will extend support for Uzbekistan’s transition to a low-carbon economy, complementing AIIB’s parallel efforts in supporting the development of the clean energy sector in the country. By applying climate resilient technologies, the project will also introduce climate adaptation measures in the vulnerable Aral Sea region.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @NatavanRzayeva5