Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
A delegation consisted of the 37 high-ranking officials of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) has arrived in Iran's central Qazvin province.
The delegation plans to visit the Qazvin-Rasht railway project, the IRIB News Agency reported.
Iran's Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development Ahmad Sadeghi said on September 21 that some $323.5 million (based on the rate of 24,730 rials per each USD) should be invested in the Qazvin-Rasht railway project so that the project comes on stream, CHN news agency reported.
He went on to note that about $254.75 millions have been spent on the project so far.
"Completing the project is among priorities of President Rouhani's administration," he said, expressing hope that the project would be inaugurated during the next calendar year (which will start on March 21, 2014).
Early in July, former Deputy Minister of Road and Transportation Shahriar Afandizade said that Qazvin-Rasht-Anzali-Astara railway project has progressed by 70 percent.
"Iran has started Qazvin-Rasht section of the railway project by its national assets, because of delay in formation of the consortium between Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan," Afandizade added.
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.
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.
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 up to 15 - 20 million tons.