Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bakyt Torobaevas, participated on April 20, 2024 in the ceremony marking the start of tunnel construction in the Jalal-Abad region. The facility is part of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan international railway.
"This project is of infrastructural importance. It opens the way to improving the quality of life, economic growth, and strengthening ties between regions and peoples. It will create new opportunities for trade, investment, industrial and logistics development, provide thousands of jobs, and give a strong boost to the economies of our countries. I express my gratitude to everyone contributing to this large-scale project. We are not just building a road, we are building the future," said Torobaevas.
The 12-km tunnel will be laid from Suzak district of Jalal-Abad region to Tokoz-Torou district of Naryn region. In these regions, construction of two more tunnels of similar length is planned. The total length of the railway within the territory of Kyrgyzstan will be 300 km. The investment in the project is estimated at $4.7 billion.
More than 20 thousand people will be involved in implementing the project. The project provides for the construction of 46 bridges with a total length of 120 km and 27 tunnels. Tunnels and bridges will account for 40% of the entire railway route. Representatives of the embassies of China and Uzbekistan, as well as of the joint railway company "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan", emphasized that the project will become a symbol of unity, progress and belief in the future.