DUSHANBE, February 24, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Iranian company, Saber International, is expected to resume work on completion of the Istiqlol Tunnel within the next few days, according to the Ministry of Transport (MoT).

An official source at a MoT says the Iranian Government has sent the second tranche (1.9 million U.S. dollars) for financing of completion of the Istiqlol Tunnel.

Before that, the Iranian side had remitted 1.1 million U.S dollars to Tajikistan for completion of the tunnel.  Saber International has reportedly suspended work on completion of the Istiqlol Tunnel due to insufficient financing.

“Tajik and Iranian governments have agreed to provide additional 3 million U.S. dollars each for completion of the Istiqlol Tunnel,” the source said.  “The Iranian side said on February 21 that it has remitted the remaining 1.9 million U.S. dollars to the branch of Tejarat Bank in Dushanbe for the Istiqlol Tunnel.  Therefore, Saber International will resume work on completion of the tunnel within the next few days.”

We will recall that Tajik Minister of Transport Khairullo Asozoda told journalists in Dushanbe on February 13 that the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan is strongly dissatisfied with work of Iran’s Saber International on completion of the Istiqlol Tunnel in northern Tajikistan.  According to him, numerous shortcomings have been revealed in work of the Iranian company.  “During a meeting with top managers of Sober International and representatives of the Government of Iran, we noted that if they do not remove all existing shortcomings, we will revoke the contract with Sober for the completion of the construction of the Istiqlol Tunnel,” Asozoda noted.

The minister is sure that Tajikistan is able to complete the construction of the tunnel on its own.  He further added that Iranian government delegation would arrive in Tajikistan soon to discuss the Istiqlol Tunnel issues.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the governments of Tajikistan and Iran on completion of the Istiqlol Tunnel that was endorsed by the Tajik parliament in April last year provides for allocation of additional 6 million U.S. dollars.  This amount includes a US$3 million grant provided by the Government of Iran and US$3 million provided by the Government of Tajikistan.

Iran’s Saber International has been chosen to complete the construction of the tunnel.

The Istiqlol Tunnel, better known among the population as the Anzob Tunnel, has been built with assistance of Iranian specialists.  Iran’s Saber International has constructed the Istiqlol Tunnel.  The total project cost was estimated at 40 million US dollars, and Iran has provided US$10 million in a form of grant and extended a preferential loan worth US$21 million to Tajikistan.

The tunnel makes the highway from Dushanbe to Khujand open for traffic the whole year round and drops the transit time by four to five hours.  An official opening ceremony of the Istiqlol Tunnel was held in July 2007; however, some works have remained unfinished.

The Istiqlol Tunnel is a five kilometer long tunnel located 80 kilometers northwest of Dushanbe.  It connects the Tajik capital to Tajikistan’s second largest city, Khujand.  It is also a transit route between Dushanbe and Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent.  Previously, especially during the cold seasons, a lack of a direct link between northern and southern Tajikistan led to disruptions of commerce.