WNAM MONITORING: Construction is underway in Kyrgyzstan on a 122-meter-high bridge as part of the “China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan” railway line project, a major transportation initiative that will strengthen transportation links between Uzbekistan and China and expand regional trade routes.
This was reflected in the statement by the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan.
According to the Ministry, the bridge is being built over the Kech-Alat River in Suzak district of Kyrgyzstan’s Jalal-Abad region. With a total length of 956.67 meters, it will be the highest bridge along the entire China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway route.
The bridge is being built as part of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, a project that Uzbekistan views as an important component of its efforts to strengthen regional transport connectivity. The project is also aligned with Uzbekistan’s proposal to establish a Council for the Integration of Railway Spaces of SCO Member States to improve coordination of railway networks and international transport corridors across the region.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward the proposal at the SCO summit in Bishkek on September 1, emphasizing the importance of transport connectivity for expanding trade and economic cooperation among member states.
“The bridge is the highest on the entire China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway route,” the information says.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway has an estimated cost of about $4.7 billion, with China providing approximately $2.3 billion through a 35-year loan to the joint project company.
The bridge forms part of the Kyrgyz section of the railway, which will create a direct rail link between China and Uzbekistan through Kyrgyz territory. The project is particularly important for Uzbekistan because it is expected to provide the country with a new rail connection to China and offer an additional route for freight transportation between Central Asia and East Asia.
For Uzbekistan, the railway could help diversify export and import routes, reduce reliance on existing transport corridors, and improve access to Chinese markets. It is also expected to strengthen Uzbekistan’s role as a regional logistics hub by connecting its railway network more directly with routes running through Kyrgyzstan and onward to China.
The project is being developed as a major regional infrastructure initiative involving Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. In addition to facilitating cargo transportation, the railway is expected to support broader industrial, trade and investment ties among the participating countries.
The construction of major bridges and other engineering structures along the Kyrgyz section reflects the challenging mountainous terrain through which the railway is being built.
The latest progress on the Kech-Alat River bridge marks another stage in the development of the infrastructure needed to establish the new China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan transport corridor.
