Uzbekistan to begin construction of toll tunnel linking Samarkand and Kashkadarya

According to the minister, the tunnel will stretch 7 kilometers in length, and construction will proceed under a PPP arrangement.

"We are currently awaiting feasibility studies from the construction bidders. In August, one winner will be selected from the three candidates, and construction work will commence with that partner. This year, we plan to finalize the design documentation and sign a contract with the selected developer," the minister said.

The initiative to build a tunnel at the junction of the two regions was originally proposed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in 2019. However, during a meeting in July 2023, the president criticized the lack of progress on the project. In October of the same year, during a meeting in Kashkadarya, the head of state instructed officials to accelerate work on the tunnel's construction.