TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, November 13. Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have agreed to start work on modernization and development of the Afghan Hairaton—Mazar-I-Sharif railway, Trend reports.
The news followed a recent meeting between head of Uzbekistan Railways (Uzbekiston Temir Yullari) state company Zufar Narzullaev and head of the Afghan Railways Department Bakht-ar-Rahman Sharafat.
As per data provided by Uzbekistan Railways, the modernization of the railway will provide for the increase in volume of bilateral trade with Afghanistan.
The reconstruction of the branch will be carried out by specialists of Uzbekistan Railways.
Meanwhile, the railway line from Hairaton to Mazar-I-Sharif was built in 2010 and since 2011 has been serviced by Sogdiana Trans, a subsidiary of Uzbekistan Temir Yullari.
Furthermore, Uzbekistan Railways announced the suspension of cargo transportation on the branch due to the absence of a valid agreement with Sogdiana Trans on February 1 of 2023.
At a meeting in Termez on February 10, the parties agreed to resume transportation along the branch and signed a new 2-year agreement.