Infrastructure Co. to Add 590 Km Railroads by March

The Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company will lay out 591 kilometers of rail by the end of the current Iranian year (March 2017), says the company's deputy head, Jabbar Ali Zakeri.

“We predict that the figure will reach 932 kilometers in the first half of next year,” the official was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.

Iran’s sixth five-year development plan (2016-21) specifically stresses the need to develop domestic rail transport.

Based on the plan, 1,500 km of railroads should be laid out. Furthermore, the existing railroads should be electrified and double-tracked. The five-year development plans are medium-term roadmaps designed by the government to help achieve sustainable growth by outlining strategies in its budget planning for the next five years.

Meanwhile, the Vision Plan (2005-25) stipulates that the number of passengers using rail transport should increase from the current 25 million to 65 million per year.