DUSHANBE, June 11, 2013, Asia-Plus – Construction of the Chormaghzak Tunnel is reportedly nearing completion.

According to the Ministry of Transport (MoT), the concrete work on the northern part of the tunnel is going on, while the concrete work on the southern part of the tunnel has already been completed.

“More than 100 tons of the necessary equipment is expected to be delivered from Kashgar in the near future that will allow accelerating erecting work,” an official source at a MoT said, adding that finishing works is expected to be completed in late August.

We will recall that a 4,430-kilometer Chormaghzak Tunnel is expected to be finished in September this year by the Day of Tajikistan’s Independence, which is celebrated on September 9.

The tunnel, which is part of the Dushanbe-Vahdat-Danghara highway construction project, is being constructed with the help of China.  China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is the general contractor.

The tunnel is being dug under the Chormaghzak Pass, which is located some 35-40 kilometers southeast of Dushanbe.  The estimated budget for construction of the Chormaghzak Tunnel is some 70 million USD.

China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), originated from former China Road and Bridge (Group) Company with its performance and qualifications, is a large-scale, state-owned foreign-trade and economic-cooperation enterprise that focuses on construction of road, bridge, tunnel and port and other transport infrastructures as primary operation and trade, investment, leasing and service as its concurrent operations.