2.3 Tajikistan Road Network
Distance Matrix Road Security Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits Road Class and Surface Conditions Tajikistan Road Network
Tajikistan has an estimated 30,000 km of roads, nearly all of which were built before 1991. One main north-south artery runs across the mountains between the north-western city of Khujand and Dushanbe in the central part of the country. A second main artery runs east from Dushanbe to Khorog in Go rno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province (GBAO), then northeast across the mountains to Murghab and on either to the Kyrgyz city of Osh or to Kashgar, China via the Kulma border crossing.
Major improvements have been going on the existing highway network in Tajikistan in the last 7 years shortening trucking times and cost between major cities and to key border points. Spurred by remittances from Tajik guest workers in Russia, there has been a sharp increase in car and other vehicles owner ship. Vehicle and fuel taxes have provided the budget funds for road improvements, along with loans from countries who win road contracts and from international development banks for some of the major projects. Chinese, Turkish and Iranian companies have all won major road construction contracts backed by loans from their countries.
Major highway projects:
Khujand – Dushanbe: Key route between the two largest cities forms part of the M-34 north – south route to Tashkent. Two tunnels completed in 2012 through the 3200-meter Shakhristan pass along with dozens of avalanche galleries keep the highway open year-round. A private operator (IRS) collects tolls and maintains the highway. Kurgantyube – Nijny Pyanj: Reconstruction of this heavily used section of two-lane highway with wide shoulders was completed in 2013 with funding from Japan, as such the road to the Afghan border crossing is now excellent. Dushanbe – Turzunsade: The road extending eastwards 78 km from Dushanbe to the Uzbekistan border is being converted partly into a four-lane highway with construction to be completed this year. Dushanbe – Kulyab: A new highway with two long tunnels over the 3200-high mountain pass has shortened the trucking time for this segment of the route to Khorog in the Pamirs. Kulyab – Darvaz: Sections of the new M-41 highway through the Pyanj River gorge have been completed but widening and paving of the highway over Shurobad pass from Kulyab into the Pyanj river valley is still underway. Several major bridges are awaiting completion over streams feeding the Pyanj River.
Murghab – Kulma (Chinese border): A Chinese company is rebuilding the highway from the border to Murghab over a 4000-meter pass.
Page 1 The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Tajikistan is responsible for all issues related to the transport infrastructure construction and maintenance of roads. The structure of the ministry is as follows:
Management Central Directorate of Road Transport Central Directorate of Road Construction
Central Directorate of Communication and Information Central Directorate of Civil Aviation Directorate of Analysis and Economic prognosis Directorate of International relations Directorate of Finance and Accounting
Directorate of Affairs Directorate of Transport Security Department of Human Resources
Ministry of Transport & Communication - Contact Names & Email Telephone & Fax
Name: Farida Yokubzoda Tel: + 992 37 221 1190
Title: Head of Department of International Relations Fax: + 992 37 221 1766
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.mintranscom.tj/eng/
Directorate of Road Transport Tel: + 992 37 222 22 15
Email: [email protected]
Directorate of Road Construction Tel: + 992 37 222 22 04
Email: [email protected]
Directorate of Civil Aviation Tel: + 992 37 251 02 78
Email: [email protected]
Directorate of Analysis and Economic prognosis Tel: + 992 37 222 22 05
Email: [email protected]
Directorate of International relations Tel: + 992 37 251 02 79
Email: [email protected]
Directorate of Finance and Accounting Tel: + 992 37 222 22 08
Email: [email protected]
For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Tajikistan Government Contact List
Distance Matrix
Distances from Capital City to Major Towns (km)
Dushanbe Kurgantyube Kulyab Aini Panjakent Khujand Rasht Khorog
Dushanbe 100 202 164 255 341 187 527
Kurgantyube 100 102 264 355 441 237 427
Kulyab 202 102 366 457 543 252 325
Aini 164 264 366 92 177 351 691
Panjakent 255 355 457 92 269 442 782
Khujand 341 441 543 177 269 528 868
Rasht 187 237 252 351 442 528 377
Khorog 527 427 325 691 782 868 377
Page 2 Road Security
Road security is generally good in Tajikistan both in urban and rural areas. Landslides and avalanches in mountainous areas sometimes pose a risk of stranding groups of vehicles for several hours. The tunnel on Anzob passes between Khujand and Dushanbe. UNDSS provides a daily email report on road conditions throughout Tajikistan. It can be requested by writing to: [email protected].
Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits
Official load limits are 24 mt. In practice 40 mt loads are allowed on most major highways and much larger loads are permitted on an exceptional basis. In the eastern Pamirs (GBAO) China made Fura trucks regularly haul 60 mt loads as far as truck terminals either in Murghab or 30 km before Khorog at Tang, where the loads are transferred to trucks carrying 25 to 40 mt. For Dulon trucks hauling from Khujand to Dushanbe 35 mt loads or larger are the norm despite smaller official load limits.
Axle Load Limits LCA Country (Tajikistan ) Transit Country #1 (Uzbekistan ) Transit Country #2 (China )
Truck with 2 Axles 12,000 12,000 12,000
Truck with 3 Axles 20,000 20,000 20,000
Truck with 4 Axles 24,000 24,000 24,000
Road Class and Surface Conditions
Page 3