1. Transoxiana was tasked by SNC Lavalin Canada to examine alternative routings for the HVDC transmission line around the Salang Pass and to identify potential locations for substations. 2. The survey found that no major rerouting is possible at the Salang Pass. The only alternative is a longer western detour via the Shibar Pass, increasing the length by 150-200 km. 3. To substantially reduce the length of the CASA 1000 line by over 100 km, the report recommends routing it through Jabal us Siraj, Nijrab, Tagab, and Sarobi.

1. Report of “TRANSOXIANA” for
Project No. 0208913 - Transoxiana-
Routing Survey – for SNC Lavalin
Canada for Study CASA 1000
Interconnector Around the Salang
Pass
TRANSOXIANA was assigned the following task by SNC
Lavalin Canada:--
1. Examine an alternative routing around the Salang Pass
for the HVDC transmission line (for a two conductor
tower that cannot be put in as cable).
2. This would require the coordinates and a description of
surrounding areas (including terrain, availability of
space for assembling the towers, environmental
considerations, etc.)
3. In addition to the line routing for the HVDC line,
consider the following: under this survey find a good
location for a 220/ 20 kV substation at Salang pass,
from where the Tunnel and surrounding areas could be
powered and if needed the point from where a route for
a 220 kV cable could go.

4. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Below are essential summary of findings .Detailed photographs and
coordinates etc are contained in volumes two and three of this report
which follow.
1. Transoxiana mobilized for the task very late because funds
earmarked for mobilization account reached our account on 14th
January 2011.

5. 2. The survey was carried out between 20th
and 30TH
January 2011.
3. First Phase—Re-routing at Salang Pass and Grid stations:---
a. No major re-routing is possible at Salang Tunnel from
the existing alignment recommended by
TRANSOXIANAs predecessor company AFGHAN TOLL
.This alignment was recommended by AFGHAN TOLL in
July 2008 and accepted by SNC Lavalin Canada.

6. b. The only alternative to Salang is a western detour via
Shibar Pass .This would increase the length of the
transmission line by 150 to 200 km.
c. Heavy snow as well as windstorms and danger of
undetected mines around Salang made the task
extremely difficult and dangerous:--

10. d. Two sites for for grid stations were seen.
e. Option one is the best since it does not require any
change of alignment.

12. f. Option Two would involve minor rerouting of line but
additional crossings of the Hairatan Kabul Indian line at
least twice.

14. g. Good class 70 metalled road exists till Nijrab from Jabal
Siraj and a an existing all weather unmetalled road
exists from Nijrab to Sarobi.Also a class 70 metalled
route is scheduledto be constructed by USAID or US
Army Corps of Engineers.
h. SITES FOR ASSEMBLING TOWERS:--

15. i. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
(1) No major environmental constraints are
present at Salang Pass.
(2) No relocation of population or social
constraints are required at Salang Pass.
j. Construction activity is not possible in Salang area from
November to March.
4. How to sub substantially reduce length of CASA 1000 line
since marginal and non substantial reducyion is possible
at Salang Pass as basically asked in the studys terms of
reference
a. It is possible to substantially reduce the length of CASA
1000 by more than 100 km by going through the Jabal
us Siraj Nijrab Tagab Sarobi route:---

17. b. Tagab has some security issues but we managed to
meet insurgents through intermediaries and they
assured us that any activity to improve infra structure
would be welcomed and supported by them.They stated
that their only target were NATO forces occupying the
area .In the course of our 8 years surveys in
Afghanistan including Kabul Naghlu line,Hairatan Kabul
line and CASA 1000 not one case of insurgent activity
has been reported against any power project or power
companies.Nijrab and Tagab are being garrisoned by
French and US forces.The French are in process of
completely taking over from US forces.Major Zakir from
the Afghan Police played a major role in our security
assessment in Tagab.Major Zakir belongs to Tagab and
his ancestoral residence is located in Tagab.Major Zakir
works part time with AFGHAN TOLL and now
TRANSOXIANA since 2005.He was educated at the Riga
Police Academy for four years ,is a class one interpreter
in Russian language and is a trained professional and an
invaluable team member.