The inauguration of sections of Zahedan-Khash railroad was attended by First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, Governor General of Sistan-Baluchestan Hossein Modarres-Khiabani and a group of Iranian officials.
“Given the capacity of the border, ports and free trade zone, the construction of Chabahar-Zahedan railroad is one of the mega projects of Sistan-Baluchestan,” Modarres-Khiabani was quoted as saying by the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
"The project, launched in the fiscal 2013-14 in eight sections, has made 62% progress. Today, sections seven and eight with a length of 150 km were inaugurated,” he added.
Noting that more than 67,000 billion rials ($190 million) have been invested in the project, the official said, “A total of €250 million were planned to be allocated to the completion of this project during the president’s visit to Sistan-Baluchestan in September 2021. The railroad will be completed by March 2024, if it receives 70,000 billion rials [$200 million] in investment.”
Chabahar-Zahedan-Sarakhs railroad is one of the key national projects being implemented in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, the completion of which will give rise to significant changes in commercial relations among different countries.
Chabahar-Sarakhs railroad is being built as a single line (90% for the shipment of goods and 10% for movement of passengers).
One of the main goals is to create a railroad corridor in the east of the country, connecting the commercial, transit, economic and tourist port of Chabahar to the country’s rail network and Central Asian countries. It will help the development of Makran Coast, create a suitable platform for the economic development of Sistan-Baluchestan and connect the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan to high seas.
Chabahar-Zahedan-Milak-Sarakhs railroad is the main infrastructural priority in eastern Iran, which will generate transit revenues and have a direct impact on job creation and economic progress of this region. Furthermore, it will make access to mines and their exploitation cost-effective.
Chabahar-Zahedan railroad connects Chabahar Port to the north-south railroad and accelerate the development of southeast Iran and the expansion of commercial and economic exchanges and activities of Iran’s only oceanic port. It will finally connect Chabahar to the Caspian Sea and different parts of the world.
