Tajikistan’s Minister of Transport, Azim Ibrohim, has criticized the quality of work on the rehabilitation of certain sections of the Qalaikhumb–Vanj road, part of the international highway linking Dushanbe to Kulma Pass on the Tajik-Chinese border in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).

The ministry’s official website said on January 6 that although the overall pace and quality of work have been satisfactory, some sections did not meet the required standards.

The minister expressed particular concern over progress in the construction of the second tunnel, especially at the tunnel’s exit portal. “Despite the challenges posed by sand disintegration and the instability of mountainous terrain, the organization of work has not met the necessary standards,” the statement reads.

The statement noted that other construction activities are proceeding according to schedule.  The minister, who was on a working visit to GBAO on January 3-4, reportedly instructed builders to take necessary measures to ensure the timely and high-quality completion of construction and installation work.

According to the Ministry of Transport, rehabilitation of the challenging section of the Dushanbe–Kulob-Darvoz-Khorog-Kulma highway, particularly between Qalaikhumb, the administrative center of GBAO’s Darvoz district, and GBAO’s Vanj district began in September 2022. The work is expected to be completed within the current year.

Rehabilitation of the Qalaikhumb-Vanj road includes construction of two tunnels with a total length of 5.2 kilometers, a 490-meter gallery and 15 bridges with a total length of 634 meters that will reduce the length of the road to 90 kilometers. 

The Chinese government allocated a US$230 million grant for the rehabilitation of the Qalaikhumb–Vanj section.  However, additional US$770 million will be needed to fully reconstruct the remaining portion of the road up to the Chinese border, which spans approximately 560 kilometers.

The following sections require rehabilitation:

• Rushan–Khorog: Located at an altitude of 1,700–2,100 meters above sea level, with a length of 163 km (estimated cost: $200.6 million).
• Khorog–Kulma: Running at an altitude of 2,100–3,700 meters above sea level, with a length of 395.6 km (estimated cost: $567.3 million).

Economic Impact

Experts believe that the full rehabilitation of this highway will significantly boost international trade by improving connectivity and reducing transportation challenges in this mountainous region.

The Dushanbe-Kulob-Darvoz-Khorog-Kulma-Karokurum highway may reference Asian Highway 66 (AH66) as well as parts of the famous Pamir Highway.  AH66 runs from Dushanbe to Xinjiang, crossing the border at Kulma Pass and connecting to the Karakoram highway that runs north-south from China into Pakistan.