Tajikistan’s first toll road was opened on the route of the Dushanbe-Chanak highway on April 1, 2010. The road connects the capital city Dushanbe with Soghd province in the northern part of Tajikistan and ends at the border between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The tolling mechanism will be implemented by the company “Innovative Road Solution LTD”, from which all tolling equipment for the Dushanbe-Chanak road is rented by the Government of Tajikistan.
Tajik media report that from the first day, road tolls stirred resentment from the local population and drew criticism from independent experts and some politicians. Drivers are not happy with the prices and traffic jams on the stations of payment.
Among those most affected by the new toll road is the population of Varzob district. This suburban district is situated at the beginning of the road. Most of the able-bodied population of the district, lacking job opportunities in their mountainous district, works either in Dushanbe or as taxi drivers on the aforementioned road. Therefore, people of the districts around the toll road are outraged by the fact that they have to pay to use the only road connecting their district with Dushanbe, since there are no alternative or bypass roads. Thus the local population believes that the paid road will have a significant impact on their economic situation.
Experts reiterate that according to the Constitution of Tajikistan, using roads is free of charge. In spite of this, the Parliament of Tajikistan allowed this tolling mechanism to be implemented by a private company. The issue was discussed during a closed parliamentary meeting almost a year ago. While a few MPs were against it, pointing to the contradiction between the constitution and the planned mechanism, the decision was taken by a majority vote. Shodi Shabdolov, an MP, claims that according to international norms toll roads can be introduced only if there are alternative roads.
Some observers are concerned with the economic implications of the paid road for the local population. The average monthly salary of the local population is about 70-80 somoni (about US$ 15-18) and the introduction of a toll road will significantly worsen their livelihoods. For instance, a resident of Varzob district, who goes to Dushanbe every day for work and back home, would need to pay about seven somoni per day for the toll road. Furthermore, some experts claim that the introduction of a toll mechanism on the Dushanbe-Chanak road will increase the prices for most consumer goods; since the road is the main road for goods imported to Tajikistan.
Meanwhile, according to a public opinion poll conducted by the local newspaper “Nikokh”, 43.4 percent of the interviewees are negative towards the introduction of a toll road while 30 percent have a very negative attitude. Only 15.8 percent support the introduction of a toll road.
Government representatives ask the population for patience and support for the Government’s innovations. The Minister of Transport and Communications of Tajikistan Olimjon Boboev believes that the “government’s efforts to develop a public-private partnership will be a drive for further development and improvement of the social-economic situation in our country”. The Government claims that the tolling mechanism will ensure that one of the main roads in Tajikistan will be maintained according to international standards, with timely preventive maintenance.
Politicians and experts are not so concerned over the question of introducing toll roads in Tajikistan or not, but rather with where the money collected from the use of the road will go and why the toll contracts were given to the unknown company “Innovative Road Solutions LTD”. The company was apparently registered only a year ago with the particular aim to introduce the toll mechanism on the Dushanbe-Chanak road. The company has no experience in such projects and did not take any part in the construction or renovation of the aforementioned road. Finally, the company was chosen without any competition, i.e. no tender was announced.
Media experts believe that all these circumstances, including the fact that the decision to introduce the toll road was passed very quickly through Parliament despite contradictions and public indignation, denotes that some very influential figures from within the Government are behind the company and have their own interest in the road business.