Transport ministries of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have discussed construction of rail link connecting the Tajik city of Panjakent and the Uzbek city of Samarkand.

On May 28, 2021, delegations of the transport ministries of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan met in Dushanbe to discuss cooperation issues. 

The Tajik delegation was led by Deputy Transport Minister, Ms. Shoista Saidmurodzoda, and the Uzbek delegation was led by the Deputy transport Minister, Mr. Abdusamat Muminov. 

The delegations discussed prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the field of transportation, the press center of the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan says.

They, in particular, discussed the project aimed at construction of the Panjakent (Tajikistan) – Bulungur Railway Station/Zavodskaya Railway Station (Uzbekistan).

The parties also discussed a draft government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on the transit of dangerous goods through the territory of Uzbekistan 

Besides, they discussed the possibility of resumption of air traffic between the two countries in compliance with anti-epidemiological requirements as well as restoration of cargo transportation via the railway section Bekabad-Istiqlol-Bekabad and restoration of road cargo transportation through the Patar-Andarkhon border crossing point.      

The meeting ended with signing of an appropriate protocol, according to the Transport Ministry press center. 

Recall, representatives of transport ministries of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan met in Dushanbe on April 21 this year to discuss transportation issues.  Senior officers of customs and border services of the two countries also attended the meeting.  The two sides reportedly discussed issues related to expansion between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in the field of international road traffic. 

The parties reportedly reached an understanding on the issues related to activating the transport corridor Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-China and resuming operations of the Hashtyak-Bekabad border crossing point (BCP) along Tajikistan’s common border with Uzbekistan.

They also reached an agreement on the construction a rail link connecting Tajikistan’s Panjakent and Uzbekistan’s Bulungur and increase in the shipment of transit goods by the Bekabad-Istiqlol railway.

The construction of the Panjakent-Bulungur railway will connect Tajikistan’s Zarafshon Valley with Central Asia’s railways.