Iraq to refurbish its railways

Iraq's state-owned railways company recently announced its plans to rehabilitate 100 passenger cars. Work will include repairing the engines, generators, mechanical thrust system and the old electrical networks, in addition to rehabilitating the heating, air conditioning and lighting systems, said the project director.

The company also is planning to lay a new 592-kilometer rail line which will extend the existing line between Baghdad and Basra to Umm Qasr. This project, slated for completion next year, will provide fast rail transportation between the provinces it serves.

The entry of the new locomotives into service, which will be completed by the end of next year, "will represent a qualitative leap in the area of rail transport", the company's media director Abdul Sattar Mohsen said. The trains will incorporate modern technology, providing passengers with the highest levels of comfort and safety.

Ihsan al-Awadi, a member of the Iraqi parliament's services committee commended the Transport Ministry for its initiative in this area. Enhanced railway services "will help in easing the burdens of travel for passengers between the provinces and provide comfortable journeys, in addition to playing a major role in the transport of goods and commodities," he said.

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