30 Kilometers of Iran's Astara Railway Handed Over to Russians

Amin Taraf, head of the International Affairs Center at the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, provided updates on Russia’s cooperation in constructing the Rasht-Astara railway project. He addressed the delays in finalizing the contract, determining costs, and initiating the disbursement of the Russian loan.

Taraf stated that a financial agreement had been signed with Russia for the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway. However, its implementation requires meeting specific legal, financial, and interdepartmental coordination requirements. He emphasized that there has been no delay in activating the agreement, as these procedures must naturally take their course.

He further explained that technical negotiations between the contractor and the employer were necessary. The Russian-designated contractor, Caspian Service, had to reach an agreement with the project’s employer, the Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructure Company. Given that the Rasht-Astara railway is a major international project, these negotiations were complex and required time to finalize.

Regarding land acquisition for the railway route, Taraf noted that out of the 162-kilometer Rasht-Astara railway, 30 kilometers have been acquired. The remaining land acquisition requires six trillion tomans, which is currently being arranged. He assured that the 30 kilometers of acquired land have already been handed over to the contractor, ensuring that the project has not been stalled.

Taraf emphasized that before the Russian loan payments can commence, certain prerequisites must be fulfilled. These include feasibility studies, design planning, site investigations, and setting up construction workshops along the acquired 30-kilometer stretch. Meanwhile, the remaining land acquisition will continue progressively, with ownership transferred to the contractor as it becomes available.

Regarding the loan’s usage, he clarified that the Russian loan is designated for construction, not land acquisition. The project has a five-year completion timeline, and the Russian loan will be gradually injected over this period to fund studies, design, and construction phases. - Iran News