Iran to connect to India, Russia via Qazvin-Rasht railway
By Trend
Iran is getting ready to put into operation the Qazvin-Rasht railway to join the International North South Transportation Corridor (INSTC) and connect to India and Europe via railroad network.
"By completing the rail installation on this route, Rasht would join the railway network and this national mega project would connect Astara to Bandar Abbas Port that will link south of Iran to Azerbaijan and Russia," said the Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development Kheyrollah Khademi, Trend reports citing IRNA.
"This international corridor in north of Iran would facilitate the cargo transportation via this route and would be efficient and economical," he added. "The project is important not only for Iran, but for all regional countries. India has recently requested for completion of the project to facilitate it's cargo transportation to Europe and Russia via Iran."
Khademi said Iran has invested $16.5 million in construction of this railway since 2014, while the current government has assigned $2.6 million to the railroad operation.
The Qazvin-Rasht railway is 164 km long, and is further connected to Anzali and Astara. Construction of the Rasht-Qazvin Railway Project has started in 2006.
The Qazvin-Rasht-Astara railway is part of the North-South Transport Corridor to connect Northern Europe and South Asia, including the railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia.
The plan to establish international corridor was signed by Iran, India and Russia in 2000 to boost economic and trade ties and reduce the distance for cargo transportation between India and Europe via Iran.
The international corridor would connect the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf via Iran and links to the Caspian Sea , Russia and northern Europe. The corridor’s operation would cut the costs by 30 percent, while the duration of transportation would be 40 percent shorter.
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