Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have began the final stage of negotiations for the construction of the Trans-Afghan Railway line "Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar," as reported by the press service of "Uzbekiston Temir Yullari" company.
The parties are discussing financing mechanisms, construction plans, technical details, and implementation timelines, Gazeta.uz reports.
In February 2021, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan signed a roadmap for the construction of the Mazar-i-Sharif - Kabul - Peshawar railway in Tashkent. The project was planned to be prepared by May, with construction commencing in September 2021. However, the change in power in Afghanistan caused a delay in the project. Nevertheless, in December, the interim government of Afghanistan joined the project. Expeditional work to determine the route of the Trans-Afghan Railway and the technical and economic justification of the project began in Afghanistan on July 18, 2022.
The project participants will sign a joint protocol on the railway route, which will pass through Termez in Uzbekistan, Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar in Afghanistan, and conclude in Pakistan via the Harlachi (Kurram) border crossing, as reported by Pakistani publication Dawn.
The Uzbekistan Institute "Bostransloyiha" estimated the construction cost of the railway at $4.6 billion, while Pakistan estimated it at $8.2 billion. According to media reports, the project is estimated to cost between $4.8 billion and $6 billion. It involves the construction of a 573 km long mainline with transit potential of up to 20 million tons of cargo per year. The new transportation corridor aims to connect the European Union, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and further Southeast Asian countries.
The railway will support both freight and passenger transportation.
According to Uzbekistan's estimates, as cited by Dawn, the railway will reduce the delivery time for goods between Uzbekistan and Pakistan by approximately five days. The cost of freight transportation is also expected to decrease by at least 40%. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with trains capable of transporting up to 15 million tons of cargo per year by 2030.
Pakistan hopes that the construction of this railway will bring Central Asia closer to Pakistan's population of 230 million and open opportunities for trade with Arabian Sea countries.
According to "Uzbekiston Temir Yullari" company, all three countries show high interest and readiness for mutually beneficial cooperation.
CentralasianLIGHT.org,
July 18, 2023