Friday, March 11, 2011 -
Uzbekistan’s state-owned railway company Uzbekistan Temir Yollari on Friday laid the first tracks for a high-speed rail line that will connect the central Uzbek city of Jizzakh with Yangiyar in the east of the country.
The track will have two lanes and be used by the first high-speed train to be in operation in Central Asia, UzDaily.com reported on Friday. The high-speed train is expected to travel at 155 miles per hour.
The track between Jizzakh and Yangiyar will improve travel between the Uzbek capital Tashkent and Samarkand, a major business location in the center of the country by shortening the route and enabling trains to transport more cargo.
It will also link to existing lines, including through a newly constructed tunnel near Yangiyar. The track is due to be completed and ready for trains by fall 2011.
Local roads along the railway route are also being repaired as part of the project, UzDaily.com reported.