Azernews.Az

By Trend

The Iranian government has successfully enhanced the amount of cargo transported via rail by 20 percent during the period from March 2014 to March 2017.

While in the beginning year of this period rail-transported cargo amounted to 32 million tons, in the ending year the number of 40 million tons was achieved, according to the CEO of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, Said Mohammadzadeh, Trend correspondent reported October 23.

The official noted that the transportation chapter of the country’s 6th Development Plan (2017-2022) lays emphasis on rail transportation as the key method of transportation to be developed.

By the end of this plan, Mohammadzadeh said, railways should be accounting for 30 percent of the country’s transportation. At present the figure hovers around 1 percent.

By 2022, he noted, cargo transported via rail in Iran should reach the amount of 195 million tons per year, noting there is an annual 400 million tons of cargo to be transported in the country every year.

According to the official, each ton-kilometer of cargo transport shifted from road to rail system will mean saving on 35 cc of fuel, plus reducing environmental damage, road maintenance costs, and accident risk.

Mohammadzadeh further said that Iran needs 28 thousand wagons to meet the 2022 rail transport goal.

"We currently have 22 thousand wagons, 2 thousand of which were added in the past 3 years," he noted.

He added that the Railways is currently building 2,000 km of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tracks along previously-built railways, plus 500 km of new lines across the country.