On the sidelines of the 16th EC meeting of the ECO CCI (Chambers of Commerce and Industry), a memorandum of understanding on cooperation especially in the area of transportation and strengthening and promotion of Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad Cargo train (known as Gul Train or ECO Train) was signed.
The railway line Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad, which was recently constructed between Islamabad, Tehran and Istanbul, aims at connecting members of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) to each other: Afghanistan, Azer-baijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Specialists are also considering to extend the line to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. It is also planned to improve travel times, the main weak points of the route being identified in Turkey where the transshipment with the ferry across Van Lake takes 13 hours. Experts plan to half travel times. They also want to improve the transposition of wagons at the border point of Zahedan (Iran), where there is an Indian gauge of 1676 mm. Another step is the rehabilitation of Taftan-Quetta section where traffic takes between 18 and up to 36 hours.
The line measures 1,900 km in Pakistan, 2,750 km in Iran and 2.036 km in Turkey. At the moment of the launch, trade between the three countries amounted to USD 1 Billion and the officials of the railways estimate a significant growth in trade with the solution of all problems related to regulations and facility of integrated traffic.
The ECO Secretariat is in contact with the Member States to expedite the construction of other railway projects, namely Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran and Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iran routes. Comprehensive investment plan for development of the ECO Railway network has been prepared by the Secretariat, which will be considered by the 11th Meeting of Heads of ECO Railway Authorities on 27-28 June 2012 in Istanbul.
Turkish transport experts have been tasked, in March 2012, to prepare the feasibility report for involvement of private sector in the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul container train service (the Gul Train) to make the train a lucrative cargo service not only between Pakistan and Turkey but also beyond, to Europe.
The managing directors of railways in Iran, Turkey and Pakistan and members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) participated in Ankara on June 29th, to a trilateral reunion where extension of cooperation between countries has been decided.
Abdolali Saheb-Mohammadi, head of the Iranian Railways Company, told that on the sidelines of the meeting, the three railway companies have analysed the possibility to expand railway infrastructure.
Saheb-Mohammadi and his Turkish counterpart agreed on construction of a new east to west railways line. Upon the agreement, a new line will be constructed in Bazargan border point, in addition to
existing line in the route of Van Lake.
According to him, the three sides agreed to increase the number of trains and their capacity in the route of Islamabad, Tehran and Istanbul. Participants in trilateral meeting also called for reducing time for shuttle trains in the route and decreasing custom tariffs to create motive for private sector investors.
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