Afghanistan to oversee railroad project

KABUL responsible for overseeing the implementation process and technical cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said on Monday.

The agreement came at the second meeting among representatives from Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in Dushanbe on May 2, a statement from the ministry said.

Public Works Deputy Minister Noor Gul, Tajikistan’s Deputy Minister of Transport Gunjal Zada and his Turkmenistan’s counterpart Guldiouf discussed the rail project.

The participants agreed the 635-kilometre railroad would pass through Turkmenistan’s Murad and Imam Nazar areas, Afghanistan’s Balkh, Kunduz and Jawzjan provinces, as well as Tajikistan’s Panjpayan and Kakhozabad areas.

Tajikistan will implement a 160-kilometre portion of railway line passing through Bashkint and Kaldar areas and Hairatan and Qaybandag regions of Turkmenistan. The implementation will be initiated by Tajikistan.

The sub-railroad would take three years to complete at a cost of $240 million, the statement said. The project will improve transportation system and connect key markets and cities of the three counties.

Third meeting is expected to be held in Kabul.

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