In the depths of the Tianshan Mountains in the early morning, the wind in the Nalun River Valley still carries a chill. At the entrance of Tunnel No. 2 in Kosztebe North, as the last layer of rock wall was chiseled through, the light on both sides of the connecting surface finally connected, and the builders of China and Kyrgyzstan shook hands and hugged each other through the dust. This 209.6 meter long tunnel is not considered long, with a single tunnel and a maximum burial depth of 41 meters. However, it has a significant identity as the first tunnel to pass through the Kyrgyzstan section of the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Railway.

Gnawing hard bones among the mountains

The China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Railway starts from Kashgar, Xinjiang, China, enters Kyrgyzstan through the Turgat Pass, then heads west through the border city of Jalalabad, and finally reaches the eastern city of Andijan in Uzbekistan, with a total length of 568 kilometers. This route passes through a complex geological zone characterized by high altitude, high cold, high stress, and high seismic intensity. From the highest altitude of the rail surface, the China Kyrgyzstan Friendship Tunnel, to the over 13 kilometer long Koshtbo Tunnel, the 29 tunnels have almost presented the internal problems of the mountain to the builders one by one.

In June 2024, the three countries signed an intergovernmental agreement, and the project launch ceremony was held in Jalalabad in December of that year; In April 2025, the control tunnels of Fergana Mountain, Naren No.1, and Koshtbo will commence construction, and the main line project will enter the substantive construction stage; In June 2025, the construction of the entire civil engineering project in Kyrgyzstan will commence. At present, all large-scale temporary roads and temporary power guarantee projects along the entire line have been completed and put into use. 27 tunnels, 43 bridges, 88 sections of roadbed, and 20 station foundations have been fully constructed. The builders continue to carry out technological breakthroughs and process iterations, forming specialized processes such as tunnel excavation and deep buried drainage that are suitable for high-altitude mountainous areas, and have tackled the construction pain points of high-altitude mountainous areas one by one. After completion, the land transportation routes from China to Europe and the Middle East will be shortened by about 900 kilometers, and the one-way transportation time will be reduced by 7 to 8 days.

Leave a door for wild animals

This railway has been planned and selected with restraint since its inception. The route effectively bypasses the Ma Xilu National Nature Park and various ecological and environmental protection areas; Multiple culverts designed according to the terrain and landforms not only ensure the migration of local wildlife, but also facilitate the transition of herdsmen for grazing. Reasonably optimize the earthwork excavation plan during construction, protect the original landform and surface vegetation; Reclamation and reuse of temporary land, and resource utilization of waste through advanced technology; Normalize watering and dust reduction on construction sites, and implement hardening on key construction roads. The railway passes through valleys, leaving behind the original appearance of mountains and rivers.

Benefit the people along the route

While the project progresses, opportunities also remain in the local area. China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Railway Co., Ltd. has established three railway skills training bases in the project sites of Toguztoro District, Manas City, and Suzak District in Jalalabazhou. The accumulated training covers more than 1800 Kyrgyz employees in civil engineering, machinery, steel structure and other positions. After passing the training, the company has employed more than 2000 local employees to participate in construction and related work.

The procurement list is also solid: we have cumulatively purchased bulk materials and leased various types of machinery and equipment worth over 10 billion som locally, with all fuel being purchased locally. The local procurement rate for major building materials such as cement exceeds 60%, and we have leased more than 1700 sets of local machinery and equipment, driving the development of industries such as machinery, construction, and energy along the route. In addition, the company has invested approximately 156 million som to implement projects such as village road hardening, improvement of drinking water, power supply, and communication base stations, medical consultations, and donations for education. The production and living conditions along the route have been significantly improved.keywords:Engineering infrastructure

The China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Railway Co., Ltd., a joint venture authorized by the governments of the three countries, is responsible for the investment, financing, construction, and operation of the Kyrgyzstan section as an independent legal entity, and has established a scientific and prudent debt management system and risk prevention and control mechanism. Next, the company will implement the important consensus of the heads of state of the three countries, promote high-quality and efficient engineering construction, and push for the timely completion and opening of the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan railway.Editor/Yang Meiling