Azerbaijani-Iranian working group on the analysis of the current situation and the coordination of positions on the North-South railway project will consider the option of a new route of freight traffic within the project, AzerNews reports.
The project involves the construction of border railway bridge between Iranian and Azerbaijani Astara and laying of branches stretching 8 kilometers through the Azerbaijani territory.
Under the preliminary estimates, railway’s carrying capacity will make 1.4 million passengers and 5-7 million tonnes of cargo a year. Throughout the railway will be constructed 22 tunnels and 15 bridges.
Abbas Nazari, the head of the international transport department of Iranian State Railway, told Trend that discussions on a new cargo route will be one of the important tasks of the working group.
“Currently a railway from the Persian Gulf to the port of Amirabad on the Caspian Sea operates in Iran. Trains will be put across on the ferry to the Baku port from there and then they will be sent to Russia and Georgia again by railway,” the Iranian official said.
He noted that this route was agreed at the level of heads of railways of Iran and Azerbaijan.
“The Working group should discuss and analyze technical issues in the implementation of such a route. Every year, over 4,000 trucks run between Azerbaijan and Iran and the opening of this corridor will turn Azerbaijan and Iran to important transit countries for Russia, Georgia, the Gulf States and India,” Nazari said.
The North-South railway project connects northern Europe to the south-east Asia. It will serve as a bridge connecting the railways of Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia.
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