Development of Single and Externally Integrated Transport Area in Central Asia

Competently built strategy for development of international transport corridors passing through the countries of Central Asia ensures economic development of not only the states located in this region, but also of other countries participating in transportation processes. At the same time, the practices of development of international transport corridors reveal several problems which comprise inconsistency of regulatory acts of the parties involved, differences in technical standards, lack of uniformity of railway gauge, duration of customs clearance. The objective of the work was to study transport corridors of Central, Western and South Asia and the existing infrastructural, organizational, and technological limitations for their development. The methods of economic, statistical, and engineering analysis were used. The research has considered problems in development of international transport corridors and possible solutions there-of through organization of intermodal transportation by a single transport operator of Uzbekistan, as well as the current state of transport corridors linking Central, Western, South Asia and China with the EU countries, including development of China–EU railway corridors. In that context, the article suggests the analysis of several legal, organizational, technological factors , as well as of infrastructural restrictions using the example of the Kashgar (China)–Osh (Kyrgyzstan) railway section, prior to construction of which it is proposed to use intermodal transportation. The proposals refer to creating the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) transport and logistics association and to developing the design of universal wagons with variable gauge wheel sets adapted for operation on railways of various gauges.