Kazakhstan plans to build a second track on the key China-Europe-China transit corridor, which will increase the throughput capacity fivefold. Thus, goods from China to Europe will be delivered even faster. Zhanibek Taizhanov, Deputy Chairperson of the Transport Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development, announced the projects that they plan to implement in the near future at a press briefing. Thus, the construction of the new Darbaza-Maktaaral railway line will soon begin on the border with Uzbekistan. It will facilitate the work of the Saryagash checkpoint, which is no longer able to handle the current flow of cargo. Experts have calculated that this way it will be possible to transport twice as many containers and one and a half times faster.
“This project will allow the country to take over the export flows of Central Asia and Europe, thereby strengthening Kazakhstan's position in international markets. At the same time, work is underway to implement a project for the construction of railway lines bypassing the Almaty station. The construction of this facility will reduce the time of transportation of goods passing through the Almaty station in transit by 48 hours and will unload the station by 30 percent,” said Zhanibek Taizhanov.
Nowadays, the development of the country’s transit potential is an important goal for Kazakhstan. Since the beginning of the year, the volume of container traffic through Kazakhstan has exceeded 800,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). The country plans to increase this figure to one million by the end of December.
Translation by Assem Zhanmukhanova
Editing by Galiya Khassenkhanova
