DUSHANBE, April 14, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan’s Railways intends to purchase train cars from China, Vladimir Sobkalov, the deputy head of Tajik Railways, remarked at a press conference in Dushanbe on April 14.  

According to him, Chinese train cars do not differ from the Russian ones in terms of technical parameters, while their prices are at least 2-2.5 times cheaper.     

“If before 2003, we had purchased train cars from Russia and other CIS states at the rate from $18,500 to $24,000 per one train car, at present, the price of one gondola car is $57,000, while the price of one Russian train car is now $110,000,” Sobkalov said.  

He further added that they will raise the issue of purchase of train cars from China at the 48th session of the council of the CIS and Baltic countries railways that will be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on May 28-30.   

One of problems is the fact that the Chinese train cars require certification.  “They should be put to the test and only after that they will be certified for operating,” Sobkalov noted.

He expressed hope that the proposal, which has to date been supported by a number of the CIS states, including Kazakhstan, Georgia and Turkmenistan, will be supported and the problem will be solved.        

 At present Tajik Railways offers three routes to the Russian Federation (Dushanbe-Moscow, Kulob-Moscow, Khujand-Saratov) and four domestic routes (Dushanbe-Konibodom, Qurghon Teppa-Konibodom, Dushanbe-Pakhtaobod and Qurghon Teppa-Kulob).

 The total length of rails in Tajikistan is 950 kilometers; of that, 680 kilometers are the main railways.  At present there are 31 railway stations in the republic.