Construction of second Tajik-Afghan bridge starts - MICROFINANCE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM - 2003-07-23

The construction of the second of five bridges to be built across the Panj river [to link Tajikistan and Afghanistan] has started in keeping with a tripartite agreement between the Tajik and Afghan governments and the Aga Khan foundation.
The bridge is being built in [eastern Tajikistan's] Darvoz District's village of Ruzba.

The deputy head of the Badakhshonroh [road building] company, Khushnazar Abdurahimov, told a Khovar correspondent that the workforce of the Badakhshonroh and Pomirgeologiya [Pomir geology] companies had started to level the area where the bridge would be built.

A total of 430,000 dollars has been allotted to built this bridge.

Source: Tajik Radio first programme, Dushanbe, in Tajik 0800 gmt 28 Jan 03

/(c) BBC Monitoring