Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 19
By Khalid Kazimov– Trend:
An Iranian government official has forecasted that Qazvin-Rasht railway in northern Iran is expected to come on stream by August 2017.
Government spokesman and the head of the Management and Planning Organization of Iran, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, has said that the 164 kilometers-long railway will be inaugurated before ending President Hassan Rouhani’s first term in office, IRNA news agency reported.
President Rouhani assumed office in August 2013 to head the administration for a period of four years.
Mohammad Baqer Nobakht monitored the construction process of the railway this morning saying the railway will contribute to economic development in the country.
The under-construction railroad is a part of the North South transport corridor which connects Northern Europe with Southeast Asia through Iran and Azerbaijan.
The project is notable for its benefits not only for development of the economies of the two countries involved, but also for other countries, located along the railway route and the region as a whole.
At the initial stage, it is planned to transport 5 million tons of cargo via the North-South corridor per year and to increase the figure to over 10 million tons in the future.
In addition to its international aspects, the corridor will have a significant role in reducing transportation costs as well as booming volume of trade turnover between Iran and Azerbaijan.