Further Railway Construction in the North to Begin Next Year

[Haris]

Aqina-Andkhoi Railway
contruction to begin next
year

Ministry of Public Works on Sunday announced conclusion
of the technical study of Aqina-Ankhoi Railway by the end of
this year.




According to the Ministry, the railway has a length of six kilometers and will
be constructed with financial aid from Turkmenistan. Through this
Afghanistan will be connected to European countries and Caspian Sea
regions.

As the ministry said, the construction of third railway will begin next year in
Jowzjan province, and currently the study phase is underway.
The Ministry stressed that there are no security threats in the region and
can be connected to Herat railway.

"I think the study phase of this project will be completed by the end of this
year, and if there is no problem the practical phase will start next year,"
Ahmad Shah Wahid, Deputy Minister for Public Works Ministry said.

Based on the reports the 90 kilometers of the Aqina-Andkhoi railway which
starts from Karki city of Turkmenistan lays inside Turkmenistan and 36
kilometers of it lies inside Afghanistan soil.

The cost for constructing one kilometer of railway in the paved areas is
two million dollars while in the rough areas it costs up to eight million
dollars.

Meanwhile, the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway has been completed.

[Haris]

Afghanistan Gets $754m
from Bank for Roads, Railway

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) agreed to give
Afghanistan $754 million to help rebuild the country's roads
and rail network.



The funds will improve 600 km of roads - equivalent to 7 per cent of the total national
and regional highway network - as well as the country's rail network. This will include
new tracks and stations between Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province and Andkhoy in
Faryab province.

In January, the ADB approved grants worth $340m to complete a 2,700 km ring road
connecting the towns of Qaisar, Bala Murghab, and Laman in north western
Afghanistan. In total, the ADB has given Afghanistan $1.7 billion in loans and grants to
its infrastructure over the past 10 years.

ADB's director general for central and west Asia, Juan Miranda, said: "With the
development of modern road, rail and energy networks, Afghanistan is poised to reap
the benefits of its strategic location and become a pivotal crossroads for trade and
commerce in the region."

The bank is helping Afghanistan become a key player in the Central Asia Regional
Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Programme - a 10-country partnership that promotes
the implementation of energy and transport projects that link Europe, East Asia, South
Asia and the Middle East.


Afghanistan Gets $754m from Bank for Roads, Railway