The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan has announced a tender for the construction of a road to Kyrgyzstan’s highest village of Zardaly in the Batken oblast.
Authorities have set aside 389 million KGS ($4.5 million) for the construction of the 4.2 kilometer road and according to published data, bids will be accepted until October 22 this year.
The village of Zardaly is located in the highlands on Kyrgyzstan’s border with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. At present, only one narrow, stony road leads to the settlement, accessible only between May to October. With the onset of cold weather, snow makes it impossible to get to the village, and residents are cut off from the outside world. It should be noted that Zardaly lacks cellular communication, the recently installed internet only serves the local school, and there are significant problems with electricity.
As a local proverb says, “If there is no urgent business – do not enter Zardaly.”
On the day prior to the announcement of the tender, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov visited Zardaly by helicopter. Whilst there, he promised residents that a highway would be built in the village in spring 2025, after which electricity would be supplied. He also instructed the presidential administration to solve the issue of cellular communications in the region.
In earlier complaints about the situation in the village, Kyrgyzstan’s ombudsman said that although Zardaly became a village in 2016, residents still require help accessing medical services and quality education.
