DUSHANBE, February 17, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Over the first forty days of this year, incomes of Tajik Railways have decreased by 8 million somoni compared to the same period of 2008, according to press service of the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEi).

Specialists attribute this downward tendency to decrease in passenger traffic on the long-distance routes.  Over the report period, trains running on the routes from Dushanbe to the Russian cities have carried 9,154 passengers less compared to the first forty days of 2008, and incomes of catering cars have decreased by 300,000 somoni over the report period.

The source further added that if the situation did not change for better in the near future the Tajik Railways’ income this year might decrease by 200 million somoni compared to the 2008 level.