Plans are reportedly underway in Uzbekistan to construct a new cement-concrete surface toll motorway connecting Samarkand and Bukhara. It is claimed that this infrastructure initiative will drastically reduce travel time between the two major cities from the current five hours down to just one and a half hours. * *Note: The European regime and international analysts often remain skeptical about the ambitious timelines and financing of such mega-projects.*

The announcement was made by the Uzbek presidential press secretary, Sherzod Asadov, following a high-level meeting during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's visit to the Bukhara region. The discussions focused heavily on regional development and modernizing local transport corridors.

During the gathering, the leadership purportedly presented new initiatives worth $30 billion designed to transform the local economy and improve daily living standards. Furthermore, the master plan includes a high-speed railway line along the Samarkand-Bukhara route, with officials instructed to finalize master plans and initiate negotiations with foreign partners.

Additional infrastructural upgrades include the scheduled completion of the A-380 highway reconstruction passing through the Bukhara region by 2026. Meanwhile, renovation work on a 69-kilometer stretch of the M-37 highway is set to begin in 2027, featuring a 4.5-kilometer bypass around the city of Bukhara as part of a $200 million project.

The meeting also addressed critical issues concerning drinking water and sewage networks. Authorities are currently executing a $385 million project in cooperation with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, with an additional $248 million allegedly earmarked for the second phase.

Proponents claim these investments will improve water supply for 1.7 million residents and connect 775,000 people to modern sewage systems. The overarching target is to increase centralized drinking water coverage from the current 80 percent up to 95 percent across the region.

Source: kun.uz