BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 30.
Kazakhstan plans to complete construction and commission the
303-kilometer Bakhty-Ayagoz railway line in 2027, according to the
Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan.
The project is expected to expand rail links with
China and strengthen the country's transit potential. President of
Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the strategic
importance of the railway project in his Address to the People of
Kazakhstan, on October 28.
Construction is currently progressing at a rapid
pace. Earthworks are 92% complete, while the construction of
artificial structures and the laying of the railway track
superstructure are ongoing.The project envisages laying 70
kilometers of rail and sleeper track by the end of this year.
Around 870 units of specialized equipment and approximately 1,450
specialists are involved in the construction.
One of the main outcomes of the project will be the
opening of a third railway border crossing between Kazakhstan and
China. This is expected to ease the burden on the existing railway
border crossings through Dostyk and Altynkol stations, improve the
distribution of cargo flows and create additional capacity to
increase freight volumes.
The new railway line is expected to have an annual
capacity of up to 20 million tonnes of cargo. Its commissioning
will help expand Kazakhstan's export opportunities, increase
supplies of domestic products to the Chinese market, attract
additional transit cargo flows and strengthen trade and economic
cooperation between the two countries.
