BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 6. The construction of the Balykchy – Kochkor – Kara-Kechе railway line in Kyrgyzstan is of significant importance to the country as it enables the establishment of a cost-effective means of coal transportation, Roman Spasskiy, the Chief Engineer of the Kyrgyz Temir Zholu (Kyrgyz Railways) state enterprise, told Trend.
"The implementation of this project has crucial socio-economic significance for Kyrgyzstan, in particular through the establishment of a cost-effective coal transportation route for supplying the population and power plants in the city of Bishkek and northern regions of the country during the autumn-winter period. Currently, coal is transported by trucks to the Balykchy station, with further rail transportation," said Spasskiy.
He noted that the current method results in significant cost increases, premature damage to road surfaces, and environmental issues during coal loading and unloading.
The construction of the Balykchy – Kochkor – Kara-Kechе railway commenced in 2022, with 5 kilometers of railway already completed last year. Looking ahead, there are plans to construct an additional 15 kilometers of railway in 2023.
It is expected that railway transportation will have a positive impact on the country's economic development, particularly in trade, the extraction, and transportation of natural resources, as well as agricultural and construction materials.
