The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Republic of Uzbekistan have signed a $108 million loan to electrify the Bukhara-Miskin-Urgench-Khiva railway line.
By electrifying 465 kilometers (289 miles) of railway and launching a high-speed service on the route, the project is expected to improve connectivity and boost tourism by linking remote areas of the Khorezm region in western Uzbekistan to the central and eastern regions of the country.
Upon completion, the project will enable the operation of high-speed trains that run as fast as 250 kilometers (155 miles) per hour, cutting travel time between Bukhara and Khiva by as much as three hours. The electrification of the railway also will enhance the role of rail as a green mode of transport and potentially will cut more than 81,000 tons of greenhouse-gas emissions per year.
“This project is aligned with AIIB’s mandate to finance Infrastructure for tomorrow and sets an excellent example of enhanc