BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 19. A new tunnel has opened in Kyrgyzstan, built with the assistance of the Japanese government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Trend reports.
This tunnel is located on the Bishkek-Osh highway. Akylbek Japarov, the Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, noted during the opening ceremony that this road connects the north and south of the country and is one of the main transportation routes.
Japarov mentioned that the tunnel was built using Japanese technology and made of solid concrete to have extra protection from possible avalanches.
He emphasized that this road is used by hundreds of thousands of drivers daily, both in winter and summer, but it is also prone to avalanches. The new tunnel will prevent traffic disruptions due to snow avalanches and ensure safe passage for drivers.
Construction of the 460-meter-long tunnel began in May 2019, and the total project cost was $39.2 million.
Over the years, JICA has become one of the world's largest bilateral development organizations. It operates through a network of 96 overseas offices and carries out projects in approximately 139 countries and regions.
