KHUJAND, September 23, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Chinese specialists have promised that the fourth bridge across the Syrdarya River, linking the city of Khujand with the Bobojonghafurov district, will be finished on October 15, Mirzoali Mansourov, manager of section 4 of the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway rehabilitation project, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

Construction of the bridge is part of plans to improve road communications between Dushanbe, Khujand and the Uzbek border town of Chanak.

The bridge will allow decongesting the central part of Khujand and consolidating links between the city and the Bobojonghafurov district, Mansourov said.  

Rehabilitation of the road and construction of the tunnel started in the summer of 2006.  Chinese company won the tender and Beijing in 2006 offered Tajikistan grants and loans to fund the project.

A total project cost is estimated at some $296 million, including $281.2 million provided by the Chinese government in a form of a long-term loan.  The loan carries a 20-year period and an interest rate of 2 percent per annum.  The remaining some $14 million are provided by the government of Tajikistan.