On 27th November 2023, Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov launched the construction of an additional 152 km rail line for cross-border freight transport to Uzbekistan. The new line will contribute to the development of the Turkestan region by connecting to the Kazakh railway network without the need for transit through Uzbekistan, freeing up capacity on the existing border link between Saryagash in Kazakhstan and Tashkent in Uzbekistan. The work will be realised in two phases, with the first section running from Darbaza via Maktaaral to Sirdaryo in Uzbekistan and the second section comprising a branch from Zhetysai to Sirdaryo.
