DUSHANBE, April 21, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Compared to January-March 2009 Tajik Railways’ transit traffic volumes have decreased over the first three months of this year by 40 percent, or 860 tons, because of the freight delays in Uzbekistan, Amonullo Hukumatullo, the head of Tajik Railways, announced at a news conference in Dushanbe today.

According to him, 1,186 freight cars, including 660 car loaded with fuel, 228 cars loaded with grains and wheat flour, 78 cars containing alumina, 44 cars loaded with cement, 71 cars carrying bitumen, 19 cars containing various equipment ad others, are still being held on Uzbek territory.

“Several railcars are currently arriving in Dushanbe per day, while freight cars bound for Khatlon province have been stranded on Uzbek territory since March 16,” Hukumatullo said.

He also noted that Uzbekistan’s claims that rail delays have allegedly been caused by technical problems were lame excuses.  According to him, the Uzbek railroads are in satisfactory condition to allow for the transportation of cargo trains without hindrance.

In the meantime, passenger trains are running without any problems, he noted.

The Tajik Railways head noted that under the classified resolution passed by Uzbek government on January 1, 2001, transit of Uzbekistan’s commercial cargos and passenger rail traffic via Tajikistan were prohibited.  “All transit cargos bound for the Ferghana Valley are unloaded in the city of Angren (the Obodlik railroad station) and from there they are transported by trucks to the Namangan, Andizhan and Ferghana regions,” he said.