Landlocked Kyrgyzstan is looking to benefit from ongoing efforts to develop Eurasian logistics. The Central Asian country has dedicated itself to developing a railway between China and Uzbekistan (the CKU line), which would give it greater access to global markets. But, as it seems, that line alone is not enough for Kyrgyzstan.
The new rail plans were revealed in the Kyrgyz government’s 2030 national development programme. Kyrgyzstan plans to build a railway between Batken, a minor city in the country’s south, to Kokand, a relatively large city in Uzbekistan’s densely populated Ferghana valley.
According to the government programme, the railway should help improve transport infrastructure, trade and job creation. Even though Kyrgyzstan provides no official such explanation, it seems likely that the country hopes to boost agricultural exports from the peripheral Batken region.
The town is located on the very southern edge of the fertile Ferghana valley. That valley mostly belongs to Uzbekistan. Kokand, located in said valley, is a major logistics node in Uzbekistan. Various railways and roads come together in the city – allowing for freight to be transported in multiple directions.