Kyrgyzstan is building a railway to Kochkor
21.11.2023
Kyrgyzstan is constructing a railway from Balykchy to Kochkor, spanning 186 kilometers, with 11 kilometers of track laid and water pipelines installed since the beginning of 2023, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.
The project aims to complete 15 kilometers of railway on this route by year-end, funded by Kyrgyz Temir Jolu (Kyrgyz Railways).
The modest progress is attributed to self-financing.
The goal is to finish the railway by 2030, connecting the capital to the coal deposit at Kara-Kech.
The project’s significance lies in potentially facilitating cheaper fuel deliveries to the capital and linking the north (including Bishkek and Kazakhstan) to the south (Osh and Jalal-Abad).
Notably, a China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway would enhance its value, connecting the country’s regions and enabling freight transport from Bishkek to China and Uzbekistan.
Currently, Kyrgyzstan’s railways consist of disjointed segments in the north and south, requiring detours through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for cargo transport between Bishkek and Osh.
The Kyrgyz authorities propose foreign investors finance this railway project, with potential partners including the Russian Export Center, Vneshtorgbank, and Russian Railways.
However, financing details are yet to be agreed upon, and negotiations might be smoother if Bishkek, Beijing, and Tashkent proceed with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.
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