DUSHANBE, October 16, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- After completion of rehabilitation of the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway road pricing will be introduced for this highway, Minister of Transport and Communications Abdurahim Ashour told reporters in Dushanbe on October 15.

According to him, with Introduction of road pricing for this highway all traffic police posts along it will be removed and only patrol cars will run along the highway.

On the road charge rates, the minister said that they would depend on type of vehicle and length of trip.  “Relevant bodies of the country are currently working on determining rates for various types of vehicles,” he said.

Further introduction of road pricing in the country depends on the results of the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway experience.  “If this experience yields good results, it cannot be ruled out that road pricing will be introduced for other roads in the country as well,” Ashour said.

Road pricing is an economic concept regarding the various direct charges applied for the use of roads and introduction of the road pricing for the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway is expected to bring in return some 20 million U.S. dollars per year, the minister noted.