Kazakhstan plans to build a road to Uzbekistan for 75 billion tenge ($ 172 million), the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development said in a statement.
According to the ministry, in December, officials of the two countries signed a Kyzylorda-Uchkuduk road and railroad construction plan. It is expected that the length of the highway will be 280 km, including 140 km through the territory of Kazakhstan.
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 highway will be 75 billion tenge, including the cost of 5 billion tenge for the construction of the checkpoint," the MIIR reported.
According to the ministry's expectations, this road will unite the Central Asian countries through the southern, central and northern provinces of Kazakhstan with Russia. The road will be part of the international corridor Kyzylorda - Zhezkazgan - Pavlodar - Russian border.
In addition, the Uzbek authorities are initiating the construction of a new Kyzylorda - Uchkuduk railway line. A joint action plan has been signed. It remains to conduct an economic analysis to develop a feasibility study.
However, this is not the only railway in the plans of the two countries.
To promote tourism, Turkestan-Shymkent-Tashkent high-speed highway project for 2021-2024 is being considered. This project will connect 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.
Also, the construction of the Darbaza - Maktaral railway line with access to the Uzbek railway lines with a length of 115 km is being worked out. 161.8 billion tenge is to be contributed for this project in the national plan.
