DUSHANBE, March 2, Asia-Plus - Chinese delegation is arriving in Dushanbe today afternoon to discuss issues related to the construction of the Shar-Shar tunnel in Tajikistan.

According to information from the Ministry of Transport (MoT), the project for the construction of this tunnel has already been submitted for examination to the Committee for Construction and Architecture.   After the project is endorsed the date of the beginning of the construction will be fixed and the Chinese side will announce a tender among its construction companies for the construction of the tunnel.  

The MoT source has told Asia-Plus that during their stay in Tajikistan Chinese specialists intend to discuss issues of preparations for the construction, including supply of machines for this purpose and number of Chinese and Tajik specialists to be involved in the project.  

The Shar-Shar tunnel will link the Tajik capital to Kulob via Norak.  The estimated budget for the implementation of this project is US$38 million and China intends to provide some US$30 million to Tajikistan to construct this tunnel.    

The project is supposed to be finished in 38 months.