DUSHANBE, July 22, 2013, Asia-Plus -- China is expected to provide a loan to Tajikistan for construction of the Vahdat-Yovon railway.

A loan agreement for 42 million U.S. dollars for financing the construction of Vahdat-Yovon railway (Dushanbe-Qurghon Teppa railway conduction project) will be signed within the next few days, Tajik Railways (Tajik state rail company) head Amonullo Hukumov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 22.

According to him, 27 million U.S. dollars will be spent for construction of tunnels and railway bridges and the remaining 15 million U.S. dollars will be spent to finance the construction of the railway itself.

The Vahdat-Yovon railway will link the country''s central part with the southern province of Khatlon and will make it possible to shorten the distance by 152 kilometers.