Freight Line Opens New Links for India

India is to help Iran build a crucial freight rail link, creating a transport corridor to Russia via Iran.

The 600km-long Chabahar port and Fahraj rail line is part of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s Trans-Asian Railway project.

The rail line is seen as vital for the proposed North-South international corridor linking India, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia.

"Since the Chabahar port is close to Gujarat, the Indian Railways can explore utilising the route for multimodal transport of goods to Iran and Russia. Similarly, transporting goods to Afghanistan via Fahraj could be another good option. It will also provide direct access to Europe," India's Railway Board Chairman K C Jena told The Hindu newspaper.

A team of experts from the Indian Railways is scheduled to visit Iran to work out the details of the project, according to Jena.

By staff writer