75km Railway to be Completed in Afghanistan

The construction of 75km railway connecting Hairatan border with the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif will be completed in the next four months, officials say

The construction work of Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway financed by the Asian Development Bank is 50 percent completed, and it is planned to start the work three months prior to its completion date, says the Afghan Ministry of Public Works.

The ministry adds that the construction of this rail-road will boost Afghan commerce and economy, and also other countries will benefit in the region.

"I hope the construction of this rail-road will be completed by the end of March, 2011," said the Minister of Public Works, Abdul Qudoos Hamidi.

The ministry also adds that the Afghan government is planning to build 700km rail-road that will connect the capital Kabul with the northern province of Kunduz and the eastern city of Jalalabad.

The railway will be built by the MCC Chinese Company.

"The primary studies of this rail-road have already started, and its contract will be signed soon," said Deputy Minister of Public Works, Ahmad Shah Wahid.

According to the Ministry of Public Works, with the completion of Afghanistan's railway networks, Afghan trade will increase with Central Asian countries and Europe, thus turning Afghanistan into a major trading partner to many other countries in the world.