OREANDA-NEWS. February 04, 2013. The National Press Centre of Uzbekistan hosted a press-conference of the Uzbekiston temir yo'llari state joint-stock railways company (Uzbekistan Railways) to sum up the results of 2012 and present plans for this year. The event was attended by specialists of the sphere and members of national and foreign press.

Deputy chairman of Uzbekistan railways Sherzod Ismatullaev and others presented detailed information on construction and reconstruction of railway lines, their electrification, development and improvement of the material-technical base, modernisation of rolling stock, implementation of innovative projects, creation of new workplaces.

It was noted that thanks to the attention of President Islam Karimov the railways sector of Uzbekistan has grown onto a new level in the years of independence. Navoi-Uchquduq-Sultan Uvaytog’-Nukus and Tashguzar-Boysun-Qumqo’rg’on railway lines were constructed, which allowed to connect the north and the south of country into a single railways network. In Khorezm region the bridge over Amudarya river was built. Uzbekistan was the first country in Central Asia to operate high-speed Afrosiyob trains, which connect Tashkent and Samarkand.  These and many other successes of Uzbek railways demonstrate huge economic potential of Uzbekistan.

In 2012 Uzbekistan railways transported more than 17,2 million passengers. Above 62 million tons of freight were shipped. Besides, 11,4 million transit goods were transported, 10,5 million tons of freight were imported and 6,7 million tons of freight were exported. This indicators show a rise from 2 to 14,4 percents in comparison to 2011.

Uzbekistan railways is an active participant of the traditional International industrial fair and cooperation exchange, held in our country. In 2012 within these events 55 contracts for the total sum of 122,7 billion US dollars were signed. More importantly, 651 new jobs were created.

Thanks to the attention and adoption of the state program the works on electrification of the Tashkent-Samarkand railway line in the Yangiyer-Dashtobod, Zarbdor-Jizzakh and G’allaorol-19 raz’yezd-Marjonbuloq sections were completed. Modern railway stations in Urgench and Jizzakh were commissioned.

Specialists also informed journalists about projects under implementation within the Program on acceleration of infrastructure development, transport and communications construction for 2011-2015, which was approved by the relevant resolution of the head of state on 21 December 2010. For example, the reconstruction project of foundry production line worth 125 million US dollars is in the final phase. Its implementation will allow to increase production of freight cars, carry out capital repairs of freight cars, as well as start production large-сapacity railways containers.

Among the prospective plans of Uzbek railway workers one can highlight rehabilitation of 240 km railway lines, completion of electrification of the Marokand-Karshi section and acceleration of electrification of the Karshi-Termez section.