On New Wheels

Uzbekistan is planning to import 24 modern locomotives in the coming years. Uzbekistan Railways experts are currently developing a detailed feasibility study of the project.

It is planned to purchase 16 freight and 8 passenger locomotives. Experts estimate that by 2020, the company will be able to increase passenger and freight transportation 1.2 times. The imported equipment will run on electricity due to the gradual electrification of the whole Uzbek railway network, and, particularly owing to the completion of works on the Samarkand-Bukhara, Karshi-Termez, Pap-Kokand-Marghilan-Andijan sections in the next four years.

The new trains will allow increasing the speed and reliability of shipped goods, which, in turn, will help to reduce the producers’ requirements for the working assets and, therefore, reduce the cost of production and distribution of goods, as well as scale up the competitiveness of the economy. Enhancement of population mobility is another essential and positive factor.

In January-March of 2016, the Uzbek railway transported 16.7 million tons of cargo, which is 100,000 tons more YOY.

As the company’s first deputy chairman Davron Dehkanov noted during the press conference in Tashkent, passenger traffic has increased during this period and reached 4.9 million passengers. Along with that, the company has provided export services for $81.4 million.

"We have disbursed about $187.5 million under our investment projects in the first three months of the current year, thereby exceeding the forecast by 5%. The funds have been channeled for the implementation of strategically important projects like the construction of a new electrified railway line Angren-Pap, electrification of the railway section Samarkand-Bukhara and launch of high-speed passenger traffic on it, as well as the construction of the railway line Navoi-Kanimekh-Misken,” said Davron Dehkanov.

He emphasized that all construction works on the Angren-Pap section have been almost completed. Tunneling works were completed in the main trunk of the tunnel in February. The workers are currently busy with finishing works, laying steel rails and electrification. Prior to that, in August 2015, they completed the construction of the railway on bоth sides of the tunnel on the section of 104 kilometers.

It is planned to disburse a total of more than $799.2 million investment in the industry under the investment program for 2016. The funds will also be channeled to the further construction of the double-track electrified railway line Jizzakh-Yangiyer, establishment of the high-speed passenger traffic on the Tashkent-Samarkand section, rehabilitation of railway tracks, rehabilitation of locomotives, upgrade and re-equipment of freight wagons.

Uzbekistan Railways is planning to implement projects totaling 42 billion soums under the Program of Localization. In January-March, the company localized products worth12.6 billion soums.

Source: Jahonnews.uz