According to bank's website, the proposed project aims to increase the capacity, speed, and safety of rail transportation in Kazakhstan by constructing a railway section from Darbaza station to the Maktaaral station. The proposed financing comprises a senior unsecured loan to JSC National Company “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy” (KTZ). The Darbaza-Maktaaral Railway Construction Project (Project) involves the construction of a new single-track railway of approximately 115 kilometers in southern Kazakhstan, from Darbaza station to the Maktaaral station, establishing an additional rail connection between southern Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Construction commenced in March 2024 using KTZ’s internal resources. As of July 2026, the construction was 78% complete and is expected to be completed by December 2026. KTZ is a 100% state-owned integrated railway group that provides infrastructure access, locomotive traction, passenger transportation, cargo transportation, and logistics services in Kazakhstan. It is the largest owner and operator of locomotives, freight, and passenger rail cars in the country. The Project also aims to relieve capacity constraints on the existing Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan rail corridor, enhance regional freight connectivity, and support growing international and transit trade flows across Central Asia. The Project is also expected to generate social and economic benefits, including employment generation, thereby supporting economic development in southern Kazakhstan.

The total project cost is estimated at USD 640 million. KTZ will finance USD 100 million. The remaining USD 540 million will be financed by the three co-financiers. AIIB is considering providing a financing amount of USD 135 million, and the remaining amount will be provided by the IFC and ADB. 

Project Team Leader: Yi Han

Title: Investment Officer 

Email: yi.han@aiib.org 

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can submit an information request for project information at: https://www.aiib.org/en/contact/information-request/index.html

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF AIIB

The AIIB has established the Accountability Mechanism for Project-Affected People (PPM). The PPM provides Òan opportunity for an independent and impartial review of submissions from Project-affected people who believe they have been or are likely to be adversely affected by AIIBÕs failure to implement the ESP in situations when their concerns cannot be addressed satisfactorily through Project level GRMs or AIIB Management processes.Ó Two or more project-affected people can file a complaint. Under the current AIIB policy, when the bank co-finances a project with another development bank, it may apply the other bank's standards. You can refer to the Project Summary Information document to find out which standards apply. You can learn more about the PPM and how to file a complaint at: https://www.aiib.org/en/about-aiib/who-we-are/project-affected-peoples-mechanism/how-we-assist-you/index.html

The complaint submission form can be accessed in Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali, Chinese, English, Tagalog, Hindi, Nepali, Russian, Turkish, or Urdu. The submission form can be found at: https://www.aiib.org/en/about-aiib/who-we-are/project-affected-peoples-mechanism/submission/index.html