Afghanistan Times
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By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: Ministry of Public Work (MoPW) on Monday said 1425km railway to be constructed in the country by the year 2020.
“Following Brussels conference, efforts on card to construct 1,425km in the country up to the year of 2020”, said Head of Afghanistan Railway Authority Abdul Bari Sediqi.
He said that also Afghanistan Railway Authority will complete technical and primary survey of 2,025km railway till 2020.
He said that five parties (Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kirghizstan and China) corridor, Torkham-Jalalabad, 4th section of Khawaf Herat-Iran, joining projects of railway between Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Torghondi-Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Maimand and Herat, Kandhar-Spinboldak, Herat Farah, Zabul to Iran are the railway lines, which will be included in construction and technical survey drives.
He said that Afghan government has funds and commitments for number of mentioned projects.
Afghan government will struggle to seek fund and complete all the railway projects, he insisted.
He said that till date 106km Hayratan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway has been completed and utilizing.
He stated that 70 percent of Khawaf Herat (Afghanistan-Iran) joint railway line has been completed.
Turkmenistan and Afghanistan railway line also recently inaugurated, he added.
Railway project is the most inexpensive and speedy transport alternative, thus the Afghan government will exert utmost efforts to construct more rail lines and connect Afghanistan to neighboring countries, he mentioned.
He highlighted that Afghanistan Authority Railway plans to complete construction of 3000-3,500km rail line, which is the most prior lines for the country till 2030.
Although insecurity and lack of fund can be a challenge before railway projects, but government will struggle it is best to achieve mentioned goal, he asserted.
He said that by construction of 3,500km railway around 70 percent transport challenges will be solved through railway in the country.
Acting Minister for Ministry of Public Work Mahmood Baligh said that establishing of railway lines are a good alternative for deadlock in Afghanistan.
He said that now Afghanistan’s transportation and transit not depend to a single country, it has many alternatives railway to neighboring countries and even international markets.
He also termed insecurity one of the main challenge that mar railway projects across the country.
