Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Oct.7 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmenistan has completed laying of 320-km-railway New Uzen (Kazakhstan) - Gizilgaya - Bereket - Etrek (Turkmenistan) - Gurgen (Iran), The Turkmen Ministry of Railway Transport said.
The project is realized on the basis of the agreement signed between Turkmenistan, Iran and Kazakhstan in Tehran in 2007. The construction of 900-km-railway will provide the shortest way to the Persian Gulf. About 700 kilometers fall to Turkmenistan.
It is planned to complete the laying of rails for 350-360 km route by early 2011. Turkmen media reported that railway line in Turkmenistan runs through the complex in its terrain. "Besides small hills and lowlands, the builders have to overcome sands, salt marshes.
It is also noted that the new steel pipeline, which must be commissioned by late 2011, will reduce the distance by 600 kilometers to transport goods from the region to the ports of the Persian Gulf. It will become an important link in the transcontinental transport corridor between China and Europe.
According to the forecasts, at first, about 3-5 million tons of cargo will be transported through it a year. The volumes of freight traffic will increase to 10-12 million tons in future.