BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 20. Iran needs 20 trillion rials (about $476 million) to complete the construction of the Ardabil-Mianeh railway line connecting Ardabil city to Mianeh city in Ardabil Province, located in the northwest of the country, said Davoud Shaeighi, director general of Iran's Plan and Budget Organization’s branch for Ardabil Province, Trend reports.
According to Shayeghi, 4.5 trillion rials (about $107 million) have been spent to continue the construction of this railway line since the beginning of the current Iranian year (starting on March 21, 2023). He added that another 2 trillion rials (about $47.6 million) will be allocated in the near future.
Shayeghi also pointed out that 13 trillion rials (about $310 million) were allocated for the construction of this railway line in the last Iranian year (March 21, 2022 through March 20, 2023).
The director general noted that there is another railway project to connect Ardabil city to the Parsabad region by railway line in Ardabil Province. It is hoped that the construction of this railway line will be started with the support of the government and provincial officials.
"With the construction of a railway line in the Parsabad region, conditions can be created for cargo transportation to the countries of Central Asia. This will have a positive effect on the economic development of both the country and the province," he said.
The construction of Iran's Ardabil-Mianeh railway line began in 2005. This 175-kilometer-long railway is being built in 11 parts. Some 35 percent of the railway line passes through mountainous areas. After the launch of the railway line, it is projected that 2.5 million tons of cargo and 600,000 passengers will be transported annually in the first year.
Meanwhile, in 20 years, the railway will be able to transport 4 million tons of cargo and 1.5 million passengers a year. Iran considers the launch of the railway line important from an economic and transit point of view. Iran considers the commissioning of this railway line important from the point of view of economy and transit.
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