The Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan and the Export-Import Bank of South Korea have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on financing the preliminary study and feasibility study of the construction of a light metro in Dushanbe.

The document was signed by the Minister of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan Azim Ibrohim and the representative of “Eximbank” of South Korea Kwon Byeong-yoon on August 22 this year in Dushanbe, the Tajik transport department told “Asia Plus”.

The Ministry of Transport noted that the South Korean “Eximbank” will provide $200 thousand for preliminary work.

Representatives of this bank agreed to finance not only preliminary survey work, but also the detailed development of the project.

The Ministry stressed that earlier, for timely discussion of issues on the construction of the metro, the parties created a permanent working group, within which 16 meetings have already been held.

The Ministry of Transport noted that on March 14, 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding on the construction of a metro in Dushanbe was signed between the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan and the National Railway Company of South Korea. This company will be engaged in conducting preliminary survey work.

The transport department stressed that the South Korean railway company proposed to build a surface subway using the light high-speed metro system (Light Rail Transit). A joint working group of the Ministry of Transport and the Mayor's Office of the capital is engaged in determining the directions of the proposed metro.

At the initial stage, it is planned to build a 10.5-kilometer branch line from the southern gate of the capital to the State Circus building.

The South Korean side, according to the Ministry of Transport, undertook to gradually train local specialists for the proper maintenance of the proposed subway. It is expected that seven such specialists will be trained by the end of this year.