The implementation of the Akina-Andhoy and Turgundi-Herat railway line construction projects was discussed by representatives of the Turkmen Agency "Türkmendemirýollary" and the railway Department of the Ministry of transport of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan during a video conference.

Recall that in September 2019, the Agency "Türkmendemirýollary" and the institution of railway transport of Afghanistan signed a contract with a total value of 21 million US dollars for the construction of the Akina-Andhoy railway with a length of 30 kilometers. To date, the Institute "Türkmendemirýoltaslama" has completed the necessary design work.

More than 17 kilometers of rail-sleeper grilles for the upper structure of the railway track were assembled in the road-machine branch of the open-type Joint-Stock company "Demirýollary" in the city of Mary. Reinforced concrete sleepers and beams were supplied by the Agency "Türkmendemirýollary", and the customer of this object, in addition to the contract – rails, wiring and fasteners. In addition, the above-mentioned EPA provided 11 units of special equipment.

The construction of the railway on the territory of Afghanistan is carried out by joint efforts of Turkmen and Afghan builders.

In particular, a sub-contract worth over us $ 10.5 million was signed with VICC VENCO-IMTIAZ Construction. Work has already been carried out on laying the roadbed and sand and gravel mixture for 16 kilometers.

A ballast layer of gravel is being laid on the roadbed, and 1.5 kilometers of rail-sleeper grilles have been installed. In addition, the construction of 16 water supply facilities out of 33 envisaged by the project has been completed. In total, VICC VENCO-IMTIAZ Construction employs 72 units of various equipment.

In the future, the Akina-Andhoy railway line is planned to be extended to the border with Tajikistan with further access to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. This will open up new opportunities for enhancing interstate trade and economic relations, including by connecting to the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey transport corridor (Lapis Lazuli).

The participants of the videoconference also discussed in detail issues related to the exploration, design and construction of the Turgundi-Herat railway, preparation of their feasibility study and financing.

These works are being carried out in accordance with a Memorandum signed in June last year between the “Türkmendemirýollary” Agency and the Afghan railway transport Agency. The document was adopted during the working visit of the delegation of Turkmenistan to the city of Herat.

The length of the new steel highway will be 173 kilometers. Along the road, it is planned to build 4 railway stations, communication and notification systems, apron and other structures. Negotiations on granting long-term credit facilities are conducted with international financial organizations, including the Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank.

The “Türkmendemirýoltaslama” Institute has completed a project for a 6-kilometer section of this highway running through the territory of Turkmenistan-from Serhetabat station to the Turkmen-Afghan border. Open joint-stock company "Demirýollary" has laid a roadbed and sand-crushed stone mix at a distance of 4,420 km. More than 11 thousand reinforced concrete sleepers were also manufactured.

In addition, the Mary hydrogeological expedition of the State Corporation "Türkmengeologiýa" completed engineering design and survey work necessary for the construction of a railway bridge between Serhetabat station and the land port of the turgundi railway. This object with a length of 176.8 meters will be built by the branch for the construction of bridges of AOOT "Demirýollary". Preparation of its design and estimate documentation has begun.

Speaking about the importance of the Akina-Andhoy and Turgundi-Herat steel highways, the parties expressed their firm conviction that as new logistics routes are connected to them, their role as important links of the international transport corridor stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Indian ocean will increase.

The developed railway network will allow Afghanistan to be involved in regional economic cooperation, which will contribute to the growth of the welfare of the population of the neighboring state. At the same time, countries in Europe, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Central and South Asia, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, and China will also benefit from diversifying the transit of their goods through Afghanistan – they open up new markets and a more convenient logistics route.

The participants of the meeting spoke in favor of continuing the practice of regular video consultations, which allow to coordinate the key vectors of joint work aimed at strengthening friendly, good-neighborly relations that meet the interests of the countries of the region, the state news Agency of Turkmenistan reports.