DUSHANBE, May 31, 2013, Asia-Plus -- A governmental commission has come to a conclusion that the main works on the Shahriston Tunnel have been done to a high standard.

The commission member shave fully inspected the tunnel itself and just separate inconsiderable shortcomings have been revealed that can be removed without any difficulty,” the Frist Deputy Transport Minister, Jumakhon Zuhurov, told Asia-Plus in an interview.

The work on removing existing shortcomings is expected to be finished in the near future and the government commission will accept the facility, the deputy minister added.   

We will recall that Tajik President Emomali Rahmon officially inaugurated the Shahriston Tunnel in the northern Sughd province on October 27, 2012.

The 5,523-meter Shahriston Tunnel is part the Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway rehabilitation project.  The tunnel was constructed with help of specialists from China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).  A total budget for construction of the Shahriston Tunnel is some US$80 million.

The Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak highway rehabilitation project was launched in summer 2006.  Chinese company, China Road and Bridge Corporation, won the tender and Beijing in 2006 offered Tajikistan grants and loans to fund the project.  A total project cost is estimated at $295.9 million, including $281.1 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 $14.8 million have been provided by the Government of Tajikistan.