HERAT (TOLONews): The Ministry of Public Works announced the completion of the survey and studies for the Balkh-Herat and Herat-Kandahar railway projects.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, said preparations are underway to begin practical work on these two key economic routes.
According to Haqshenas, once these two railways are completed, Afghanistan will be connected to major regional trade routes, significantly boosting the country’s transit capacity.
The ministry spokesperson added: “The Balkh-Herat and Herat-Kandahar railway routes are among Afghanistan’s important economic corridors. The survey and studies for this project have been completed by the Ministry of Public Works. A committee was appointed by order of the Prime Minister’s Office, which traveled to the relevant provinces to confirm the route. Now we will take the next practical steps concerning project design, attracting investment, and launching the construction of the Balkh-Herat and Herat-Kandahar railway.”
The distance from Balkh to Herat is approximately 561 kilometers, and from Herat to Kandahar is 761 kilometers.
Meanwhile, the private sector also considers railway development vital for the country’s economic growth and calls for more facilitation for investment in these projects.
Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, first deputy of the Chamber of Industries and Mines, told TOLOnews: “If this railway connects Herat to Mazar, it will be very important for internal transport, and we can connect the region.”
“We need a national railway network connecting all 34 provinces. This reduces costs and significantly increases value,” said Mohammad Karim Azimi, an economic analyst.
According to the Ministry of Public Works, Afghanistan currently has about 240 kilometers of operational railway, connected via Hairatan, Aqina, Torghundi, and Khaf to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. The existing railway lines are considered essential infrastructure for trade, transit, and integration into the global rail network.
