Angren–Pop railway line

The Angren–Pop railway line (Uzbek: Angren-Pop temir yoʻli) is an electrified railway line in eastern Uzbekistan. It provides an additional transport line besides the Kamchik road pass, improving the connection between the Fergana Valley with the rest of Uzbekistan. The total cost of the project was $1.9 billion.[1] The line opened on 22 June 2016.[2] Passenger trains began operating on 1 September 2016.[3]

Angren-Pop railway line
Overview
Native nameAngren-Pop temir yoʻli
Statusin operation
OwnerUzbek Railways
LocaleUzbekistan
Termini
Stations4
Service
Services1
Operator(s)Uzbek Railways
History
Opened22 June 2016
Technical
Line length123 km (76 mi)
Track gauge1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in)
broad gauge
Qamchiq Tunnel

The 123 kilometres (76 mi) long electric rail line connects the existing railways at Angren and Pop to create a direct route between the cities of Tashkent and Namangan. The new rail allows Uzbekistan to abandon the Soviet-era line that cuts across Tajikistan's Sughd Region, saving Uzbekistan a reported $25 million in transit fees it pays to Tajikistan each year.[4] The project cost an estimated US$1.9 billion and was built over five years. Construction began in March 2013. In September 2013, the China Railway Tunnel Group signed a construction contract worth $455 million.[5]

The project was funded by the Uzbekistan government and international loans. In May 2014, the Export-Import Bank of China announced it would lend Uzbekistan US$350 million to fund the Chinese tunnel contract.[6] In February 2015, the World Bank confirmed it would lend Uzbekistan US$195 million for the Angren–Pap Railway.[7]

The line includes the Qamchiq Tunnel, the longest tunnel in Central Asia, and 2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) of bridges. Uzbek Railways is responsible for the construction and China Railway Tunnel Group constructed the Qamchiq Tunnel.[8]

References
  1. "Uzbekistan completes work on construction of Angren-Pap railway". UzDaily.com. 15 February 2016.
  2. "Chinese, Uzbek Leaders Hail Inauguration of Central Asia's Longest Railway Tunnel". english.cri.cn. Archived from the original on 17 December 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  3. "TRAIN №60 / 59 "O'ZBEKISTON" link Tashkent-Andijan-Tashkent". railway.uz. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  4. Sadykov, Murat (14 March 2013). "Uzbekistan: New Ferghana Railway Plan Tweaks Tajikistan". Eurasia.net. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  5. "Китай инвестирует $455 млн в строительство тоннеля через перевал Камчик в Узбекистане". Forbes (in Russian). 10 September 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  6. "Chinese bank funds Uzbek railway project" Azernews". 14 May 2014.
  7. "7.6 Million People in Uzbekistan Will Benefit from Better Inter-regional Accessibility by Railway Link". World Bank. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  8. "Angren-Pap railway to be completed by April 2016". UzDaily.com. 2 February 2015.
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