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The progress of implementation of major projects in the transport and logistics sector was reviewed
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on the progress of major projects in the transport and logistics sector.
The rapid growth of the country’s economy, the increase in industrial production and foreign trade volumes require the consistent development of transport infrastructure. One of the priority tasks in this area is to turn Uzbekistan into a key hub of the shortest overland route from the Pacific Ocean to Europe, as well as to expand opportunities for access to international markets.
By 2030, it is planned to double the volume of transport services, attract $9.1 billion in investment to the sector, and raise the volume of service exports to $5.7 billion. During the presentation, the infrastructure projects needed to achieve these goals, their implementation timelines, and issues requiring resolution were reviewed.
At the outset, information was presented on the construction and modernization of airports.
In Tashkent and Bukhara, construction is under way on new airport complexes with a total cost of nearly $3 billion. The new Tashkent International Airport will be designed in the first stage to serve 20 million passengers annually. Within the framework of the project, public-private partnership agreements have been signed, and work is under way to prepare the construction site and relocate utility networks.
At the new Bukhara International Airport, airfield infrastructure is being built. An international tender is being held to attract a private partner for the construction and management of the passenger terminal.
The progress of projects to modernize the airports of Urgench and Namangan on the basis of public-private partnership, as well as Andijan with the involvement of a private operator, was also reviewed. As a result of these efforts, airport capacity will increase and passenger service opportunities will expand in line with international standards.
Special attention was also given to issues of developing road infrastructure.
Last month, construction began on the Tashkent – Samarkand toll road worth $2.2 billion. The first toll road connecting the cities of Urgench and Khiva has been put into operation.
During the presentation, issues of financing the subsequent stages of the Tashkent – Samarkand project, selecting investors for the Tashkent – Andijan and Tashkent – Bostanlyk toll road projects, as well as tasks related to the launch of practical work, were discussed.
Proposals were presented to increase the capacity of the railway network.
At present, a number of railway sections on major transit routes are operating at high capacity. The growth in industrial cargo volumes and the launch of new high-speed trains will further increase the load on the existing infrastructure.
In this regard, measures to modernize the Maktaaral – Syrdarya, Angren – Pap, Tashguzar – Baysun – Kumkurgan, Tashkent – Samarkand and Tukimachi – Angren routes were reviewed. It was noted that by allocating $200 million for these works, the capacity of the sections could be increased by 25-30 percent.
Reports were heard on the construction of the China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan railway, the creation of a separate high-speed railway line on the Tashkent – Samarkand route, as well as projects to expand and electrify the railway network in the regions. Proposals were also discussed on renewing the freight wagon fleet and involving the private sector more broadly in this process.
Separate consideration was given to the development of international transport corridors and expanding opportunities for access to global markets through seaports.
Information was presented on the work being carried out to create logistics infrastructure with the participation of Uzbekistan in the ports of Aktau, Turkmenbashi and Baku on the Caspian Sea, as well as in the ports of Poti and Anaklia on the Black Sea. In particular, an agreement has been signed to establish a logistics center at the port of Poti, and a feasibility study for the project is being developed. Opportunities for participation in the development of the port of Anaklia, as well as in the construction of the Nakhchivan railway, which will provide access to the Turkish ports of Samsun and Istanbul, are being studied.
These projects will make it possible to diversify supply routes to foreign markets for textile, chemical, agricultural and mining and metallurgical products.
The need to expand the network of logistics centers within the country itself for the effective use of international transport corridors was noted.
Information was presented on the progress of implementing instructions to specialize the cities of Khanabad and Angren, as well as the Yangiyul, Akhangaran, Alat and Termez districts, in transport and logistics activities. In Tashkent city, Tashkent, Andijan, Surkhandarya and Bukhara regions, it is planned to implement 17 projects to create logistics centers and terminals. Issues of their location, attracting investors, financing and providing the necessary infrastructure were discussed.
At the presentation, special attention was paid to the digitalization of freight transportation and reducing the shadow economy in the sector.
It was noted that the share of the shadow economy in freight transportation still exceeds 42 percent. Among the main problems in this area are the lack of a unified register of local freight vehicles and a unified electronic system combining the formation of electronic orders and all transport services.
In this regard, it was proposed to create a unified digital transport system, establish a register of carriers, and introduce an aggregator for receiving electronic waybills and orders. Measures were also reviewed to expand the exchange of electronic permits and introduce real-time cargo tracking capabilities in international transportation.
This is intended to create convenience for carriers, legalize informal services and increase transparency in the sector.
The Head of our state emphasized the importance of clearly defining the implementation timelines of the presented projects, their sources of financing and expected results, as well as their interconnected implementation. Instructions were given to responsible officials on the issues reviewed.
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