Iran has set a specific timeframe for completing the Zahedan-Chabahar railway line that will provide Chabahar port with direct access to the Iranian railway network. Kheirollah Khademi, head of the Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructure Company of Iran, explained that the line will be operational in two years.

Khademi ranked the Zahedan-Chabahar railway line as the largest infrastructure project in Iran, even more extensive than the crucial Rasht-Astara railway line. The Rasht-Astara rail link might be key to completing the western part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC); however, the Zahedan-Chabahar line does not lag since the line’s completion will mark the completion of INSTC’s eastern section and allow the crucial node of Chabahar to gain much-needed rail access.

Line’s first part ready for inauguration

As Khademi mentioned, the line connecting Chabahar to the Iranian railway network is quite expensive, costing tens of billions of Iranian Rials. Its construction spanning a length of 628 kilometres has already used 1,6 million cubic metres of cement so far, marking the project’s massive profile.

The good news is that the timeframe set by Iran seems quite realistic. Iranian authorities estimated the entire line to be operational in three to four years; nevertheless, with construction works proceeding, the deadline got reduced. In fact, the line’s first section between Zahedan and Khash, 154 kilometres long, is more than 95 per cent ready, with Khademi saying that only the final touches remain, and the line will be inaugurated and begin operations soon.

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