Tajikistan’s Dangira-Guliston Road to Introduce First Green Corridor

Tajikistan’s Ministry of Transport signed a major contract with Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Co., a Chinese company, to reconstruct the Dangira-Guliston highway. Supported by an $86.7 mln grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), this project aims to establish Tajikistan’s first green corridor.

Funding and project scope

In addition to the ADB grant, the project will be backed by a $40 mln loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and $23 mln from the Tajik government. The 49 km Dangira-Guliston highway, originally built in the 1930s and last renovated in the 1970s, will be expanded from two to four lanes, incorporating bike lanes and pedestrian walkways.

Climate adaptation measures are integral to the project, which will also include new lighting, safe pedestrian crossings, and restroom facilities for mothers and children. Furthermore, two electric vehicle charging stations will be installed in rural areas to support the growing EV market in Tajikistan.

Timeline and sustainability

Work will begin in March 2025, with completion set for 2030. The project follows the ADB’s Green Roads Manual, developed with the International Road Federation and MetaMeta Research (Netherlands). This manual will help ensure the road is designed to balance economic, social, and environmental needs.

Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon highlighted the Dangira-Guliston road as a crucial regional route, emphasizing its importance alongside other infrastructure projects in his December 2023 speech.