AKIPRESS.COM - The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors approved on Wednesday an allocation of US$45 million equivalent to finance the second phase of the transformative Central Asia Road Links Program to be implemented in Tajikistan in 2015-2020.

The objective of this project is to increase transport connectivity between Tajikistan and neighboring countries along key cross-border road links in Sughd Oblast, and thus connect people and firms, markets and opportunities, regionally.

The Central Asia Road Links (CARs) Program is a collaborative regional, multi-phase program initiated by governments of Central Asia.

The program aims to increase transport connectivity between neighboring countries while supporting improvements in road operations and maintenance practices.

The first phase of the CARs, covering the Kyrgyz Republic, focuses on the rehabilitation of cross-border road links bordering Tajikistan in Batken Oblast.

This Second Phase of the Central Asia Road Links Program – CARs-2 will focus on the rehabilitation of approximately 70 kilometers of cross-border road sections in Sughd Oblast connecting Tajikistan’s road network with that of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.

Specifically, the road sections to be rehabilitated include: Kuchkak-Kim-Isfara-Guliston border crossing (45.1 km), Dehmoi-Proletarsk-Madaniyat border crossing (16.9 km), including a link to the intermodal rail terminal in Proletarsk, and Kanibadam-Patar border crossing (5.7 km).

The CARs-2 project will be implemented over five years by the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan. The World Bank’s total contribution of US$45 million equivalent consists of US$38.25 million provided as a highly concessional credit, and US$6.75 million as a grant.

The Government of Tajikistan provided co-financing in the amount of US$9 million. It is estimated that the project will directly benefit about 2.6 million residents of Sughd Oblast who are expected to be regular road users travelling along the road sections.