Home
Iraq Laying Plans to Rebuild Rail System
9/5/2013 15:46:00
In
a shabby, rusty train that had just left Baghdad for the southern city
of Basra, Riyadh Saleh moved restlessly from carriage to carriage,
searching for a comfortable, air-conditioned seat.
Saleh was one
of about 200 passengers taking a 25-year-old diesel train to Basra last
week; he was enticed by fares as low as 7,500 dinars ($6.50) for a seat
on the 600-kilometer (375-mile) journey. But like many others, he felt
the experience — especially the train's top speed of 60-70 km/hour —
left much to be desired.
"The train is not comfortable, it is
rocking. I do not feel secure — I feel it will turn over at any moment.
Besides, it is slow," said the retired civil servant, who was traveling
with 10 other family members to attend a relative's wedding in Basra.
Iraq's
infrastructure is dilapidated after decades of war, sanctions and
economic decline. In a country where piles of rubble and incomplete
buildings are commonplace, almost every sector needs investment,
including electricity and the sewage system.
But the country is
laying plans to rebuild its historic railways and become a transit hub
for goods that would be shipped from Asia to Iraq's neighbors and
beyond.
Iraq's railways date back 100 years; the foundation of
the first line was laid by the Germans under the Ottoman Empire in 1912.
That line, connecting Baghdad with the town of Dujail, 60 kilometers to
the north, was completed in 1914.
The network has been neglected
during the past several decades of political and economic turmoil. The
country has only two working passenger trains at present, and officials
in the state-run railway company admit that the volumes of passengers
and freight which it carries do not generate enough income to cover
employees' salaries, let alone revamp the network.
That leaves
Iraq with little public transport connecting regions of the fractious
country. Most people rely on minibuses and taxis to make national
journeys, which can be expensive and dangerous on poorly maintained
roads.
"Our passengers have a right to complain because when they
go abroad and see modern trains with new and developed technology,
while our lines are the same old thing, they say 'I want our trains to
be like the rest of the world,'" said Hadi Ali, manager of the train
station in central Baghdad.
Plans gain pace
Plans to
revive the rail system are gaining pace along with the country's oil
boom and general reconstruction. If successful, this could not only have
economic benefits by facilitating trade and domestic tourism, but by
making travel easier, maybe even contribute to the country's political
unity.
Last year the railway company finished building a
32-kilometer line between Mussayab, south of Baghdad, and the holy city
of Kerbala to transfer hundreds of thousands of pilgrims during Shi'ite
religious festivals.
It is also building a new railway parallel
to the old Baghdad-Basra line at a cost of about $700 million; the line
is due to be in service by the end of this year. Currently only around
250 passengers travel on Iraq's railways on most days, but when the new
Baghdad-Basra line is finished, the number could jump to between 2,000
and 3,000, officials say.
A line connecting Baghdad with the
northern city of Mosul is still out of service, but transport officials
hope to begin renovating it next year. Last year Iraq signed a deal to
import 10 trains from China, each carrying up to 450 passengers and
running as fast as 140-160 km/hour, for $115 million.
Iraq
currently has about 2,000 kilometers of railway lines and hopes
eventually to increase this to 10,000 kilometers of dual-track railways,
with electrified trains running at up to 200-250 kilometers an hour
that would connect all major Iraqi cities with neighboring countries.
Mohammed
Ali Hashem, manager of the projects department in the railway company,
said the goal was to unload goods from Asia at southern Iraqi ports and
transport them through the northern Iraqi city of Zakho into Europe via
Turkey.
"So instead of a long trip to the Suez Canal and the
Mediterranean Sea, through Iraq it will take 24 hours," he said. "Iraq
will become a transit point for goods transfer."
Hashem envisions
around 25 million tons of goods passing through Iraq annually once the
rail projects are completed at an estimated cost of more than $60
billion over five years.
Obstacles
For now, such
visions face formidable obstacles. One is financing; just $175 million
has been allocated by the government for projects by Iraq's railway
company this year.
Hashem said there were two options for
financing projects: annual allocations from the government, and
effectively borrowing money from companies hired to perform
infrastructure work — the firms would be paid under a staggered
schedule.
The staggered payment model would require passage of
an infrastructure law by Iraq's parliament, however, and this has been
delayed for several years by political wrangling. It is not clear when
it might be passed.
Khudhair Abbas, deputy head of another
transport projects company run by the transport ministry, said Iraqi
railways were not yet attractive to foreign investors because they would
not be profitable until the country's southern port of Grand Faw was
built, which would take years.
In the long term, Iraq may be able
to find the money for its railways; the International Monetary Fund
expects its oil exports to expand to $152 billion in 2018 from $94
billion last year, swelling government coffers.
But there are
other problems. Talib Kadhim, head of the operations and transport
department in the railway company, said many traders preferred to move
their goods via private motor transport firms, even though that was more
expensive, because the firms offered door-to-door services and train
stations were far from the city centers.
Security is still a
concern. Recent talks with a foreign company to transfer crude oil by
rail to Akashat, near the Jordanian border, for shipment abroad were
scuppered by the increasingly volatile situation in the western province
of Anbar, bordering Syria.
"When stability is achieved, transportation in general will increase in the country," said Kadhim.
In
the Baghdad station hall, ticket booths remain shut with the exception
of the window for the Baghdad-Basra line, where a small whiteboard shows
train times and ticket prices written in a red marker.
"I have a
lot of memories of the trains in the 1960s when I was a kid," said Emad
Maki, 54, an unemployed man who was travelling to Basra with his wife
and four children to offer condolences for the death of a relative.
"I
wish our trains were like the ones in Europe. It is difficult to
achieve but I am sure things will be better if there is determination.
If we achieve 50 percent of what others have, that will be good."
Source: VOA
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
9/5/2013 15:46:00
In
a shabby, rusty train that had just left Baghdad for the southern city
of Basra, Riyadh Saleh moved restlessly from carriage to carriage,
searching for a comfortable, air-conditioned seat.
Saleh was one
of about 200 passengers taking a 25-year-old diesel train to Basra last
week; he was enticed by fares as low as 7,500 dinars ($6.50) for a seat
on the 600-kilometer (375-mile) journey. But like many others, he felt
the experience — especially the train's top speed of 60-70 km/hour —
left much to be desired.
"The train is not comfortable, it is
rocking. I do not feel secure — I feel it will turn over at any moment.
Besides, it is slow," said the retired civil servant, who was traveling
with 10 other family members to attend a relative's wedding in Basra.
Iraq's
infrastructure is dilapidated after decades of war, sanctions and
economic decline. In a country where piles of rubble and incomplete
buildings are commonplace, almost every sector needs investment,
including electricity and the sewage system.
But the country is
laying plans to rebuild its historic railways and become a transit hub
for goods that would be shipped from Asia to Iraq's neighbors and
beyond.
Iraq's railways date back 100 years; the foundation of
the first line was laid by the Germans under the Ottoman Empire in 1912.
That line, connecting Baghdad with the town of Dujail, 60 kilometers to
the north, was completed in 1914.
The network has been neglected
during the past several decades of political and economic turmoil. The
country has only two working passenger trains at present, and officials
in the state-run railway company admit that the volumes of passengers
and freight which it carries do not generate enough income to cover
employees' salaries, let alone revamp the network.
That leaves
Iraq with little public transport connecting regions of the fractious
country. Most people rely on minibuses and taxis to make national
journeys, which can be expensive and dangerous on poorly maintained
roads.
"Our passengers have a right to complain because when they
go abroad and see modern trains with new and developed technology,
while our lines are the same old thing, they say 'I want our trains to
be like the rest of the world,'" said Hadi Ali, manager of the train
station in central Baghdad.
Plans gain pace
Plans to
revive the rail system are gaining pace along with the country's oil
boom and general reconstruction. If successful, this could not only have
economic benefits by facilitating trade and domestic tourism, but by
making travel easier, maybe even contribute to the country's political
unity.
Last year the railway company finished building a
32-kilometer line between Mussayab, south of Baghdad, and the holy city
of Kerbala to transfer hundreds of thousands of pilgrims during Shi'ite
religious festivals.
It is also building a new railway parallel
to the old Baghdad-Basra line at a cost of about $700 million; the line
is due to be in service by the end of this year. Currently only around
250 passengers travel on Iraq's railways on most days, but when the new
Baghdad-Basra line is finished, the number could jump to between 2,000
and 3,000, officials say.
A line connecting Baghdad with the
northern city of Mosul is still out of service, but transport officials
hope to begin renovating it next year. Last year Iraq signed a deal to
import 10 trains from China, each carrying up to 450 passengers and
running as fast as 140-160 km/hour, for $115 million.
Iraq
currently has about 2,000 kilometers of railway lines and hopes
eventually to increase this to 10,000 kilometers of dual-track railways,
with electrified trains running at up to 200-250 kilometers an hour
that would connect all major Iraqi cities with neighboring countries.
Mohammed
Ali Hashem, manager of the projects department in the railway company,
said the goal was to unload goods from Asia at southern Iraqi ports and
transport them through the northern Iraqi city of Zakho into Europe via
Turkey.
"So instead of a long trip to the Suez Canal and the
Mediterranean Sea, through Iraq it will take 24 hours," he said. "Iraq
will become a transit point for goods transfer."
Hashem envisions
around 25 million tons of goods passing through Iraq annually once the
rail projects are completed at an estimated cost of more than $60
billion over five years.
Obstacles
For now, such
visions face formidable obstacles. One is financing; just $175 million
has been allocated by the government for projects by Iraq's railway
company this year.
Hashem said there were two options for
financing projects: annual allocations from the government, and
effectively borrowing money from companies hired to perform
infrastructure work — the firms would be paid under a staggered
schedule.
The staggered payment model would require passage of
an infrastructure law by Iraq's parliament, however, and this has been
delayed for several years by political wrangling. It is not clear when
it might be passed.
Khudhair Abbas, deputy head of another
transport projects company run by the transport ministry, said Iraqi
railways were not yet attractive to foreign investors because they would
not be profitable until the country's southern port of Grand Faw was
built, which would take years.
In the long term, Iraq may be able
to find the money for its railways; the International Monetary Fund
expects its oil exports to expand to $152 billion in 2018 from $94
billion last year, swelling government coffers.
But there are
other problems. Talib Kadhim, head of the operations and transport
department in the railway company, said many traders preferred to move
their goods via private motor transport firms, even though that was more
expensive, because the firms offered door-to-door services and train
stations were far from the city centers.
Security is still a
concern. Recent talks with a foreign company to transfer crude oil by
rail to Akashat, near the Jordanian border, for shipment abroad were
scuppered by the increasingly volatile situation in the western province
of Anbar, bordering Syria.
"When stability is achieved, transportation in general will increase in the country," said Kadhim.
In
the Baghdad station hall, ticket booths remain shut with the exception
of the window for the Baghdad-Basra line, where a small whiteboard shows
train times and ticket prices written in a red marker.
"I have a
lot of memories of the trains in the 1960s when I was a kid," said Emad
Maki, 54, an unemployed man who was travelling to Basra with his wife
and four children to offer condolences for the death of a relative.
"I
wish our trains were like the ones in Europe. It is difficult to
achieve but I am sure things will be better if there is determination.
If we achieve 50 percent of what others have, that will be good."
Source: VOA
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
» Ports Authority notes the fate of the five berths in the Grand Faw Port
» MP: Why is the regional government fighting the civil banks war and leaving the core of the issue?
» Political researcher: The amendment will include sovereign ministries
» Retirement: End of service bonus paid to more than 7,000 retirees
» Al-Mashhadani stresses the importance of the role of the Audit Bureau in combating administrative an
» Al-Mashhadani and Al-Hakim discuss parliament’s approval of important laws
» Parliamentary consensus to pass controversial laws soon
» Currency Auction.. Increase in the Central Bank of Iraq’s sales of foreign remittances
» Interior Ministry dismantles 600 drug networks, electronic passport to be introduced soon - Press co
» utube 11/2/24 MM&C Report-Iraq 3 Presidents-National-Constitutional Entitlements-Open Market Operati
» utube 11/5/24 MM&C MM&C News Report-ICC-Investors-RIYADA BANK-Port of Faw-3 Presidents Seated-Removi
» Foreign Minister warns of major and dangerous economic repercussions
» Roadmap for Reform
» Government reshuffle looms over Al-Sudani’s cabinet.. The compass of change is heading towards 4 min
» Parliamentary move to legalize foreign labor in Basra
» Parliament intends to amend the retirement law and return the service age to 63 years
» Parliamentary move to question a senior official and complete procedures against the Minister of Com
» Legal expert explains the mechanism for forming the Kurdistan Regional Government
» Silk Road imposes a state of maximum alert suddenly
» Sheikh Raouf: There is an urgent need to find a constructive, corrective opposition in Kurdistan
» Green light from Baghdad to build the first waste recycling plant in eastern Iraq
» MP: Al-Mashhadani discussed 3 important files with parliamentary blocs
» MP: Al-Mashhadani's election will not affect the completion of legislation
» Parliamentary Oil: Investment in associated gas in fields exceeds 60%
» IMF: Foreign investment outperforms sovereign funds in generating growth in Gulf
» Categories exempted from the curfew in the population census.. Get to know them
» Kurdish investment trend in central and southern Iraq.. What are the reasons?
» Iraq exports more than 6 million barrels of oil to America in a month
» The Private Banks Association supports the Prime Minister’s directives to localize private sector em
» Parliamentary confirmation to support financial oversight in combating corruption
» Next Sunday.. Celebrating Baghdad Day
» Sayyid Sistani's commandments
» New services for health insurance subscribers
» Al-Sudani directs ministries to leave (cash)
» Mr. Sistani sets a roadmap for Iraq’s prosperity
» OPEC+ postpones production increase
» Government Advisor to {Sabah}: Turkish companies’ expertise has given them importance in implementin
» The future of smart cities in Iraq is on the table for discussion
» Expectations of achieving agricultural self-sufficiency within 3-5 years
» Ministry of Agriculture: Launches the Electronic Inquiry System Service
» Electricity contract employees demonstrate in Maysan to demand permanent employment
» The Council of Ministers holds its regular session headed by Al-Sudani
» Iraqi oil exports to America amounted to more than 6 million barrels during the past month
» Launching the major national campaign to raise awareness of the Social Security Law
» Private Banks Association: We support the Prime Minister’s directives to localize private sector emp
» Parliamentary Committee: The Social Security Fund has become sovereign and the legislation of the la
» Britain launches programme inside Iraq to combat 'Kurdish human trafficking gangs' in France
» Warnings of delay in forming the regional government: will push regional and international parties t
» Dollar prices rise again in Baghdad Stock Exchange and Exchanges
» Al-Sudani praises the assistance provided by the United Nations mission to Iraq in facing challenges
» The Private Banks Association announces its support for Al-Sudani’s approach to localizing private s
» Interior: We have achieved a very significant decrease in crime rates across the country
» The Private Banks Association announces its support for Al-Sudani’s approach to localizing private s
» Iraq, Saudi Arabia sign MoU for military cooperation, boost bilateral ties
» Transportation: Direct flights to 4 global cities
» Prime Minister stresses importance of Mr. Sistani's diagnosis of Iraq's needs
» “To enhance national security”.. Parliamentary Committee: Intelligence Service Law is ready to be pr
» Optimism for a bountiful agricultural season.. Kurdistan Region records record high rainfall amounts
» Al-Sistani’s “Seven Commandments” occupy Iraqi politics.. A reading of the position of the authority
» As the date approaches, will Article 140 hinder the population census?
» Prime Minister directs unification of efforts in the Iraqi Media Network
» “Framework” coups with Sunni facades on the map of local governments in preparation for the 2025 ele
» Parliament intends to extend the legislative session for a month
» Difficult tests facing Parliament.. What are the scenarios for the remainder of the current session?
» Parliamentary Security: Iran will launch a new strike against “Israel” within a short period.. What
» Barzani to Romanowski: We have started negotiations to form the tenth government and no veto on any
» Al-Sudani directs the localization of private sector salaries and sets a date for the departure of c
» Bakhtiar Haji meets a delegation from the General Directorate of Civil Defense in the Kurdistan Regi
» New Cities Authority sets timeframes for project completion, reveals details of its services
» Oil announces completion of drilling and rehabilitating 15 wells during the past month
» Ministerial Council for Economy: Taking the necessary measures and decisions that contribute to mark
» Parliamentary Legal: There is a trend to extend the legislative term of Parliament
» What is the truth about extending the legislative term of the House of Representatives?
» The "Freedom of Demonstration" Law is Ready for Voting.. How Was It Amended?
» Mr. Al-Sadr on the US elections: It is shameful for an Arab to pin his hopes on a senile or insane p
» Laws stuck hostage to disputes between blocs
» Doubts after the decline in power supply at the beginning of each month.. Is there a deal between ge
» Integrity and the Financial Supervision Bureau agree to activate the cooperation agreement between t
» Al-Mashhadani faces 170 suspended laws.. Will they be approved or deported?
» Parliamentary demands to cancel the security agreement with Washington
» MP: Oil derivatives smuggling has decreased by 80% in Iraq
» After years of controversy, the Minority Protection Act is submitted for the first reading
» Al-Sayhoud: The ministerial reshuffle is useless for several reasons
» Iraqi government makes changes to the General Secretariat: Al-Juhaishi succeeds Al-Halbousi
» Extension of the legislative term of the Iraqi parliament for an additional month to pass laws
» Prime Minister: The necessity of strengthening Iraq's position to be at the forefront of the region'
» Parliamentary Transportation: We are determined to pass the Civil Aviation Authority Law
» Baghdad Council: Study of the reality of companies applying to implement projects
» Water Resources announces its control over the oil slick in the Tigris River
» Reconstruction: A new government vision for distributing serviced lands among those entitled to them
» Parliamentary Immigration Committee demands increasing the amount of the return grant
» Accreditation of specialized graduates to support quality control
» Heritage markets and buildings in Mosul after its reconstruction
» Specialized committee to ensure acceptance of cybersecurity outputs
» The Ministry of Interior issues mechanisms to regulate the work of private security companies
» Baghdad Council: Study of the reality of companies applying to implement projects
» Welcome to the trends of establishing an administrative capital
» Securities trade more than 88 billion shares