The Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan and South Korea's Eximbank have inked a MOU to finance the initial and feasibility studies for constructing a light metro in the Tajik capital.
Minister of Transport Azim Ibrohim and Eximbank representative Kwon Byeong-yoon signed the document on August 22. Eximbank has pledged $200,000 for the preliminary work and will also fund the project's detailed development.
The announcement follows 16 meetings conducted by a permanent working group set up to discuss the metro's construction. The group also includes the National Railway Company of South Korea, which previously signed a Memorandum with Tajikistan's Transport Ministry on March 14, 2022, and will oversee preliminary surveys.
The South Korean company proposed using a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system for a 10.5-km line initially, stretching from the capital's southern gate to the State Circus building. A joint working group is finalizing the proposed metro routes.
South Korea will also train local specialists for the project's maintenance, with seven specialists expected to complete training by the end of this year.
If this project is successful, this will be Central Asia's third metro system. Currently, subways are functional in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and Almaty, Kazakhstan. While Tashkent's metro has its roots in the Soviet period, Almaty's initial line was inaugurated in 2011. There are also proposals to construct a metro in Bishkek.
