Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan to build a highway for $172 million

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan agreed on the construction of the Kyzylorda-Uchkuduk road and railroad, Spot reports with reference to the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The parties signed the corresponding agreement in December.

The highway is expected to be 280 km long. In 2024-2025, it is planned to develop a feasibility study (FS), and from 2025 to begin construction of the road within two to three years.

“The estimated cost of the road construction will be 75 billion tenge (about $172 million), including the cost of 5 billion tenge ($11.4 million) for the checkpoint construction,” the ministry said.

The highway will be part of the international corridor Kyzylorda-Zhezkazgan-Pavlodar-Russian border.

In addition, Uzbekistan is initiating the construction of a new railway line Kyzylorda-Uchkuduk. A joint action plan has been signed, an economic analysis is planned to develop a feasibility study.

According to the newspaper, this is not the only railway in the plans of the two countries.

To increase the tourist potential, the issue of building a high-speed highway Turkestan-Shymkent-Tashkent in 2021-2024 for 160 billion tenge ($367 million) is being considered. This project will unite the largest historical and cultural centers of Central Asia, increase passenger traffic to 1.9 million passengers per year at a speed of 250 km/h.