Design and research institute № 1of the China Railway Construction Corporation has completed the feasibility study for the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China railway project, the Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov told the Uzbekistan 24.

The feasibility study for the 454-kilometer Uzbekistan - Kyrgyzstan - China railway project was planned to be developed before June 1 (before that - July 1), but the work was completed ahead of schedule.

According to him, a road map was signed with Kyrgyzstan and China following the first China-Central Asia summit on further steps in the implementation of the project.

Earlier the joint statement signed between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping noted that the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China railway project was of historical importance for strengthening ties between the two countries and the region. The parties said they were satisfied with the completion of the feasibility study and were ready to jointly contribute to the finalization and preparation for the start the construction.

They added that they were ready to expedite the construction of the China-Central Asia transport corridor, promote rail container transportation in this route, ensure the smooth operation of the China-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan highway and increase the volume of cargo transportation.

As part of the project, it is planned to build a highway along the combined Jalal-Abad-Makmal-Arpa-Torugart-Kashgar route. It is expected that the transit route through Kyrgyzstan will allow Uzbekistan to carry an additional 5 million tons of transit cargo.