MNA – Road Minister Akhundi said Iran holds a contract with Russia for construction of 6,800 railway carriages most of which will be build in Iran’s soil.

Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhundi said five provincial centers will be connected to the country’s railway transport network in the ongoing Iranian calendar year (to end March 20, 2018) asserting “the projects are 90% through and will certainly become operational by year end.”

He went on to state that Kermanshah and Hamedan have already been connected to the national railroad network while the projects in Urmia, Qazvin and Rasht are still underway.

Akhundi maintained that 516 kilometers of new railroad will be implemented in the present year adding “added to unfinished projects of the previous year, a total of 919 kilometers of new railways will come on stream.”

Roads minster later stated that Iran was in contract with Russia for 6,800 train wagons for carrying cargo most of which will be manufactured inside the country.

“Majority of the country’s demand for wagons will be supplied domestically in the coming three years,” he underscored.

The official also noted that, through a joint Iran-South Korea joint venture, a contract has been signed for construction of 540 railcars to be used in suburban transport while further deals will be inked with Germans, Russians and Koreans for purchase and manufacturing of passenger train wagons.