Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, on behalf of the government of Tajikistan has awarded a US$0.242 million consultancy contract to BARS Consulting LLC. for package 3 of the Obigarm – Nurobod road project in Tajikistan.

The project involves the maintainence and improvement of connectivity between Dushanbe, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic via the M41 highway, which is located on Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) corridors 2, 3, and 5.

The US$55 million project will be inundated once the Rogun Hydropower Project (HPP) reservoir is filled to operating levels. The scope of the project also includes construction of a new 76 km M41 highway alignment through mountainous terrain that will bypass the HPP reservoir and an approximately 800 m bridge over the reservoir.

The selected company will be responsible for providing consultancy services for the preparation of a supplementary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study for construction of the long bridge and approaches across the proposed Rogun HPP reservoir.

The road section is expected to become operational in November 2023.