Iran's 6 Prioritized Rail Projects to Come on Stream

EghtesadOnline: Out of the seven prioritized rail projects in the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2017), one has been completed and six others are under construction and estimated to become operational by March 20, Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development Kheirollah Khademi announced.

News ID: ۷۸۰۹۴۹

10 January 2018

"Khaf-Herat Railroad (139 kilometers long) is part of Iran-Afghanistan rail corridor and has made 89% physical progress. The project started in the fiscal 2007-8 and more than 2.96 trillion rials ($67.3 million) have gone into its construction so far," the deputy minister was quoted as saying by IRNA.

The 164-kilometer-long Qazvin-Rasht project started in the fiscal 2004-5 and has made 80% progress.

"Close to $315.17 million worth of investments have gone into this project, which needs an additional $144.19 million to be completed," Financial Tribune quoted him as saying.

This mega project is the missing link in the International North-South Transport Corridor, which connects the northern Iranian city of Rasht to the national rail network and to neighboring Azerbaijan.

When completed, according to Khademi, this rail route will split the current transport period from Iran to Russia and Europe in half.

The official, who is also the CEO of Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company, added that Firouzan-Kermanshah Railroad (110 km long) has made 80% progress and over $90.37 million have been spent on it so far.

Another prioritized project for this year is the 97-kilometer-long Mahabad-Urmia Railroad that will connect West Azarbaijan Province to the Iranian national rail network. Up until now, more than $102.95 million have been spent in this project, which has made 90% progress. This rail route needs another $62.5 million to be completed.

Mianeh-Bostanabad Railroad (133 km), which reduces the travel time between Tehran and Tabriz in East Azarbaijan Province, has made 92% progress. More than $215.7 million have been invested in this project since it started in the fiscal 2001-2.

Yazd-Mehriz Railroad (30 km), the construction of which started in the fiscal 2012-13, has made 97% progress and some $15.9 million have been spent on it so far.

From among the seven projects the 270-kilometer-long railroad connecting the capital city Tehran and the central provincial capital Hamedan was inaugurated on May 8 in the presence of President Hassan Rouhani and Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi.  The $114 million project started in the fiscal 2005-6.

Out of the seven prioritized rail projects in the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2017), one has been completed and six others are under construction and estimated to become operational by March 20, Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development Kheirollah Khademi announced.

"Khaf-Herat Railroad (139 kilometers long) is part of Iran-Afghanistan rail corridor and has made 89% physical progress. The project started in the fiscal 2007-8 and more than 2.96 trillion rials ($67.3 million) have gone into its construction so far," the deputy minister was quoted as saying by IRNA.

The 164-kilometer-long Qazvin-Rasht project started in the fiscal 2004-5 and has made 80% progress.

"Close to $315.17 million worth of investments have gone into this project, which needs an additional $144.19 million to be completed," he added.

This mega project is the missing link in the International North-South Transport Corridor, which connects the northern Iranian city of Rasht to the national rail network and to neighboring Azerbaijan.

When completed, according to Khademi, this rail route will split the current transport period from Iran to Russia and Europe in half.

The official, who is also the CEO of Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company, added that Firouzan-Kermanshah Railroad (110 km long) has made 80% progress and over $90.37 million have been spent on it so far.

Another prioritized project for this year is the 97-kilometer-long Mahabad-Urmia Railroad that will connect West Azarbaijan Province to the Iranian national rail network. Up until now, more than $102.95 million have been spent in this project, which has made 90% progress. This rail route needs another $62.5 million to be completed.

Mianeh-Bostanabad Railroad (133 km), which reduces the travel time between Tehran and Tabriz in East Azarbaijan Province, has made 92% progress. More than $215.7 million have been invested in this project since it started in the fiscal 2001-2.

Yazd-Mehriz Railroad (30 km), the construction of which started in the fiscal 2012-13, has made 97% progress and some $15.9 million have been spent on it so far.

From among the seven projects the 270-kilometer-long railroad connecting the capital city Tehran and the central provincial capital Hamedan was inaugurated on May 8 in the presence of President Hassan Rouhani and Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi.  The $114 million project started in the fiscal 2005-6.

Khademi added that the government has prioritized the linking of another five provinces, namely Ardebil, North Khorasan, Lorestan, Kordestan and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari to the national railroad in the upcoming Iranian year (March 2018-19).

As such, the government of President Hassan Rouhani will have connected 10 provinces to the national railway network over its two consecutive terms in office.

Iran has around 13,350 kilometers of rail in place, 3,410 kilometers under construction and a further 4,930 kilometers under study.