The paid road Dushanbe-Khujand has been closed again

It has been two days since the only road connecting the north and south of the country was closed. Dozens of cars have been blocked.

Photo: Internet

The company IRS (Innovative Road Solutions LTD), which maintains the Dushanbe-Khudjand-Chanak road, reported on January 16 about the temporary closure of the road due to avalanches and adverse weather conditions.

For two days, the movement of all vehicles has been blocked on the 39 km stretch of the Dushanbe-Varzob road and the 81 km stretch of the Khudjand-Shakhriston road.

According to the IRS press service, work is currently ongoing to eliminate the consequences of the natural disaster, the road is being cleared, and anti-skid materials are being applied. Additionally, posts of traffic police and IRS road service employees have been set up at the site of the avalanches to ensure the safety of the population.

The IRS company stated that it will announce when the road is reopened.

The Dushanbe-Chanak road is the only toll road in Tajikistan that connects the capital with the north of the country. The road was reconstructed in 2009 with investments from a Chinese company amounting to 296 million dollars and was put into operation in 2010.

Passengers and taxi drivers constantly complain that the company charges high fees for vehicles on this road, yet the road does not meet international standards. Poorly lit tunnels and uneven roads, as well as avalanches in winter, pose particular difficulties. It is reported annually that dozens of vehicles on this road are involved in traffic accidents or fall into ravines, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people.

The government of Tajikistan conceals who owns the road. It is also unknown where the proceeds from this toll road go.

Independent experts suggest that the owner of the IRS company is the son-in-law of President Rahmon, Jamolidin Nuraliev, the first deputy chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan. However, no government representatives are willing to comment on this.

The Dushanbe-Chanak road is 354 kilometers long, featuring three tunnels (Maykhura, Istiklol, and Shakhristan) and 24 protective walls to prevent avalanches.