Azerbaijan, Baku, July 6 / Trend, N. Umid /
Qazvin-Rasht-Anzali-Astara railway project has progressed by 70 per cent, Iranian Deputy Minister of Road and Transportation Shahriar Afandizade said, the Mehr news agency reported.
"Iran has started Qazvin-Rasht section of the railway project by its national credits, because of delay in formation of regarding consortium between Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan," Afandizade said.
This project will be completed till next year, in case if necessary fund sources are provided.
The construction of the Qazvin - Rasht - Astara (Iran) - Astara (Azerbaijan) railway was discussed at the fifth meeting of the coordinating council of the North-South transport corridor project. The need to build it as soon as possible was stressed.
Iranian officials said that the Qazvin-Rasht-Anzali-Astara railway will be constructed in March next year. The route is very complex and consists of 22 tunnels and 15 special bridges. Around 70 per cent of the work for the construction of 15 tunnels has been fulfilled, the head of Business and Marketing Department of the Iranian railway administration Mohammadrza Mohammadi Arasi said on July 2, the Iranian news website Tasnimnews reported.
It should be recalled that the Qazvin-Rasht-Anzali-Astara railway is a part of the North-South transport corridor. Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran are constructing the railway.
Around $400 million is planned to be invested in the construction operations.
The volume of cargo transportation via the corridor at the first phase will reach six million tons. In the future, the volume of cargo transportation is planned to be increased to 15 - 20 million tons.
A working group consisting of representatives from four countries - Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and India is working over the construction of the Rasht - Astara (Iran) - Astara (Azerbaijan) railway, Tasnimnews reported on Monday with refernece to Arasi.