BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Qamchiq Tunnel in Uzbekistan, the longest railway tunnel in Central Asia, has been completed and put into trial operations.
The 19.2-km tunnel goes through the Qurama Mountains and is part of the 169-km Angren-Pap railway line, a major state project of Uzbekistan which connects the country's capital, Tashkent, with the eastern city of Namangan.
The construction of the tunnel began in July 2013 and was undertaken by China Railway Tunnel Group.
The tunnel is also a key cooperation project in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which is expected to reduce regional transportation costs and help boost trade and economy.
