Construction of alternative North-South highway to be completed by 2024

Bishkek, Aug. 25, 2022. / Kabar /. The construction of the alternative North-South highway will be completed by 2024,Kushtarbek Amanov, road engineer of the Asian Development Bank's project implementation group under the Ministry of Transport and Communications told during a briefing.

He said that the North-South alternative road construction project is divided into three phases. At the first section of Kyzyl-Zhyldyz - Aral, the work was completed back in 2018, the road was put into operation, at the Kazarman - Jalal-Abad section, it remained to complete the tunnel with a length of 3,283.5 meters. Of the total length, 3,890 meters have been completed, and 606.5 meters remained. Thus, the work will be completed in full by November 2023.

In the second phase, the Aral-Kazarman section has been completed, now the defects are being corrected. Completion date is this year.

“The third phase of the project will be fully completed by 2024. The total cost of the project is estimated at USD 860 million, and about USD 600 million has been disbursed so far,” the engineer said.

The construction of the alternative North-South, which will connect the north and south of the country, was scheduled for 2013 and to be completed in five years.

The road is supposed to address the country’s various communication problems. Several foreign banks and institutions have allocated their funds (mainly loans) for road construction; Chinese Eximbank is a major lender.