INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN- The head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (known as RAI) mentioned the development of railways as a necessary factor for the
economic surge in the country.Making the remarks in a press conference on Tuesday, Miad Salehi reiterated that the development of the
transportation sector is vital for the economic surge, and the railway is the pillar for development in this sector.The official also stated
that RAI is seriously negotiating with other countries, especially the neighbors, to promote railway transit via Iran.He further announced
that passenger transportation via railway hit a record high in the past Iranian calendar year 1401, adding that 29.67 million passengers
were transported via the national railway in the previous year, indicating also a 43-percent growth year on year.Salehi added that the
figure is targeted to reach 30 million in the present year.Passenger transportation via railway also rose 13 percent in the first four
months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-July 22), the RAI head announced, adding that 10.7 million passengers were transported
announced, and underlined that the whole work was done by the private sector.The development of the railway sector has been one of the macro
regard, the national railway fleet has constantly received new domestically-made locomotives and wagons in the past and current Iranian
also received 346 new domestically-made wagons and locomotives on last Saturday, in a ceremony attended by the head of RAI.Of the mentioned
346 wagons and locomotives, 339 were freight wagons, two were locomotives, and five were passenger wagons.The mentioned wagons and
locomotives have been all manufactured by domestic companies and firms including Mapna Group, Pars Wagon, Kowsar Wagon Complex, and Green
less pollution as well as high safety attach priority to the railway when compared to some other transportation systems, and make its
development economically viable.
