Narrative
Full Description
Project narrative
In 2007, the Chinese Government provided RMB 79 million in grant funding to support the Shar Shar (Ozodi) Tunnel Construction Project. Previously, in July 2005, China and Tajikistan reached an agreement for providing assistance for the construction of the Shar Shar (Ozodi) Tunnel. This grant funding was not only used for direct tunnel construction but for the provision of buses, Mobile inspection and observation complex, radiotechnics and other systems, though the specific breakdown is unknown. China Railway No.5 Engineering Group, a subsidiary of China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC), was the contractor responsible for project implementation. CCCC Highway Consultants Co., Ltd. undertook preliminary design of the project. Xinjiang Highway Engineering Supervision Center was responsible for supervision of construction. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 20, 2006. The construction was scheduled to be completed in 34 months. The project was completed on August 8, 2009. A grand opening ceremony was held on August 30. In November 2010, the project won the China Construction Engineering Luban Prize. The Shar-Shar Tunnel Project (alternatively: Sharshar) included a main tunnel with a total length of 2.23 km and a 4.91 km connection line (3.4 km for the northern connection line, 1.5 km for the southern connection line) and a 169-meter-long bridge in a mountainous and hilly area. This project aimed to promote general economic development. It also hoped to improve traffic conditions in Tajikistan, as well as strengthen business and logistics links between China and Tajikistan. Upon completion, the tunnel was to reportedly reduce the travel time from Dushanbe to Dangara, President Emomali Rahmon's hometown, by 40 minutes. This tunnel was located 80 km south of the capital city of Dushanbe, near the city of Kulyab in the Dangara District of Khatlon Region. It is on the Dushanbe-Vahdat-Dangara highway and was built under Shar-Shar mountain pass. More detailed locational information can be found at https://reconnectingasia.csis.org/database/projects/ozodi-tunnel-construction/4c72ae7b-1c6b-4466-91b7-3092ba7ee8e4/. This project is linked to ID#53615, which covers a Chinese Government grant to repair a 6 km access road to the Shar-Shar Tunnel, and #40406, an earlier donation for the same project
Staff comments
The Chinese project title is 沙尔—沙尔隧道. The Russian project title is Ремонт подходных путей к тоннелю Озоди (Шар-Шар). The project is also known as the "Shahr-Shahr Tunnel and the North-South Link Project" (see "援塔吉克斯坦沙尔-沙尔隧道和南北连接线项目竣工典礼隆重举行"). The Shar-Shar tunnel was renamed the Ozodi (in English: Liberty) tunnel in 2014 (see "Chormaghzak Tunnel renamed Khatlon Tunnel and Shar-Shar Tunnel renamed Ozodi Tunnel"). The Government of Tajikistan’s Aid Information Management System (AIMS) identifies $41,664,633 as the amount of grant funding provided by the Chinese Government. This project is identified by identification number TJK/102014 in the AIMS, and its title in the AIMS is 'Construction of auto-tunnel Shar-shar'' (see "May 2018 Flat Export from Tajikistan AIMS China Specific Projects" resource). However, we chose to code the RMB 260 million estimate provided by the China’s Embassy in Tajikistan since the Chinese Government typically denominates its grant agreements in RMB and in a Speech of the Chancellery of the Adviser for Trade and Economic Issues of the PRC, the grant was denominated in RMB.