A new railway is set to connect
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The construction of the Darbaza–Maktaaral line, with
a length of 152 km, has started in the Turkistan region. The official start to
the works was given by Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov via
teleconference. The project will provide a shorter transit route to Central and
South Asian countries, and increase export shipments to Uzbekistan. It is
noteworthy that the freight transport volume between the two countries has
reached around 26 million tonnes since the beginning of the year.
“Last year marked the highest
volume of freight transportation in the 30 years of Kazakhstan’s independence,
surpassing 245 billion tonne-kilometers. This year, the growth rates remain
high as well. By year-end, the volume of freight transportation with Uzbekistan
is expected to reach around 31 million tonnes, reflecting a 16 percent increase
compared to the previous year. We are commencing the construction of a major
railway project – the new Darbaza-Maktaaral line - to expand the capacity of
this section and enhance the export and transit potential of our country,” Smailov
said.
Kazakhstan’s share in the project
will amount to 85 percent. Additionally, it will contribute to the development
of the Turkistan region by connecting its remote districts, Maktaaral and
Zhetysai, to the country’s main railway network.
“Overall, nine stations are
slated for construction. The railway will establish a direct route for
transporting freight from Kazakhstan to these areas and vice versa. Cargo
destined for Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will pass through
this line more quickly. We anticipate an additional increase in cargo flow of
10-14 million tonnes by 2030, with the potential for further growth to 20-25
million tonnes in the future,” said Kanat Almagambetov, Deputy Chairman of the Kazakhstan
Temir Zholy national railway company.
It bears noting that Kazakhstan
is actively developing its railway infrastructure. This includes the
construction of second railway tracks on the Dostyk-Moiynty section and a
bypass line around Almaty. In the near future, there are also plans to begin
work on the new Bakhty-Ayagoz line, connecting to the third international
junction with China. In total, over 1,300 km of railways will be built in the
country within the next three years.
