On November 28, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the presentation on the electrification project of the Bukhara – Urgench – Khiva railway.
The railway transport network is consistently developing in Uzbekistan. In particular, the Bukhara – Miskin line was built, which reduced the distance to Khiva to 242 kilometers in 2018. Taking into account the 4,5-fold efficiency of electric trains, the electrification of tracks continues. The Karshi – Kitab, Pap – Namangan – Andijan, and Karshi – Termez lines have been electrified in recent years.
At a meeting with the Khorezm residents, the President noted that a high-speed electric train to Khiva would be launched in 2024. This plan is included in the investment program of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2022-2026. In accordance therewith, the electrification of the Bukhara – Urgench – Khiva railway has started.
The progress and expected results were reported at the event.
The cost of the project is $445 million. $270 million of this amount will be attracted from the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. As a part of the project, 465 kilometers of railway lines from Bukhara to Khiva will be electrified, as well as, stations, substations and other facilities will be built.
The speed of movement will increase significantly. For instance, the maximum speed of trains will be up to 250 kilometers per hour. As a result, travel time from Tashkent to Urgench will be reduced from 14 to 6 hours, from Bukhara to Khiva from 8 to 3 hours. This will create great convenience for the population and will become an important factor in the development of tourism.
Accordingly, the capacity of the railway will also increase. The volume of cargo transportation will increase to 11 million tons per year, as well as the number of passengers up to 2,3 million people. Due to the movement of trains on electric traction, 18,000 tons of diesel fuel will be saved per year.
The President focused on the quality of the project implementation.
«Our specialists have accumulated a lot of experience on past projects, foreign consultants were also involved. The main thing is to provide quality work. The better the road is, the more convenient it will be for our people, tourists and much more profitable for the economy», Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.
Khokims (governors) of Bukhara and Khorezm regions were instructed to organize roadside services in districts and cities through which high-speed trains will run.
«Where the railway comes, there will be culture and life. Therefore, there is a need to increase the number of trade and service centers at the stations, as well as along the highways. Another task is to plant trees and bushes along the railroads, suitable to the desert climate. This will positively affect the ecology of the region, make roadside lanes attractive», the President noted.
The President instructed to launch, in parallel with the current project, a project for the electrification of the railway to the city of Nukus. As a result, travel time between Tashkent and Nukus will be reduced from 16 hours to 7 hours.
The instructions were given regarding the expansion of the use of renewable energy sources, the installation of solar panels on the buildings of state organizations, and the creation of incentives for the population in this sphere.