SSTA for Preparing the Railway Electrification Investment Program

The Government of Uzbekistan requested the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to finance a railway electrification investment program using the ADB’s multitranche financing facility (MFF). Uzbekistan Temir Yullari (UTY) was designated as the executing agency and had completed a railway corridor feasibility study, part of which covered Project 1 under the proposed investment program.

Within the assignment, DEEX provided assistance in preparing the Railway Electrification Investment Program, including gathering relevant information and preparing project documentation. A participatory rapid appraisal was conducted in the project area, together with a census of all people potentially affected by the project.

A socioeconomic survey was also conducted covering a sample of 20 percent of the potentially affected people. An entitlements matrix was prepared to identify all likely project impacts, including both permanent and temporary land acquisition.

DEEX prepared an institutional framework defining responsibilities for the preparation of detailed asset inventories, provision of compensation, implementation of relocation activities, income restoration, supervision, management and monitoring of land acquisition and resettlement activities.

The assignment also included preparation of an Involuntary Resettlement Framework (IRF), providing guidance on how subsequent tranches of the MFF should be classified from a resettlement perspective, how Resettlement Plans should be prepared, and the institutional arrangements required for implementation of the IRF.