ISLAMABAD: Iran has assured Pakistan of its full cooperation in the operation of ECO Container Train on Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul route, and has decided to reduce transhipment cost for the container train at Zahidan station.

The reduced cost for loaded and empty containers is є30 and є10, respectively. The Iranian delegation led by Majid Arjooni, Director-General of South East Railway Company, during a meeting with Parveen Agha, Secretary Railways, on Friday, offered the new reduced cost and requested the doors of container trains be sealed instead of being welded.

The secretary railways, acceding to the Iranian request, assured the delegation that containers will be sealed in future.

The Iranian delegation cited the Quetta-Taftan section as important for the container train, and said it should be given priority in the CPEC and all technical and mechanical issues should be resolved on a priority basis.

The Iranian delegation participated in the ninth high-level working group meeting of the ECO container train.

The high-level working group meeting decided that the total travel time of the container train from Hayadarpas in Iran to Istanbul will be 15.5 days.

Through altering the route, the travel period in Pakistan will be reduced from 8.5 to 6 days.

The meeting discussed the infrastructure movement requirements as well as possibility of a ‘corridor management mechanism’ through harmonisation of processes and documentation between the agencies of the three countries to improve the efficiency of the corridor.

ML-1 and other transit projects: The meeting recommended the ECO secretariat to carry out a business study on the container train corridor, including indicative commercial tariffs for the route.

Meanwhile, talks between the Ministry of Railways and the high-level delegation of the Chinese National Railway Authority (CNRA) concluded on Friday with the signing of minutes of decisions taken during the talks.

A review of the implementation process of upgradation and doubling of 1,872km Main Line-1 track from Karachi to Peshawar, including 55km Taxila-Havelian was discussed. In addition, the establishment of a dry port near Havelian as an early harvest project under the CPEC was also discussed.

The members of the CNRA delegation, comprising eight members of construction and design companies and 45 technical experts, travelled from Lahore to Islamabad on a special train to evaluate the railways operations by inspecting various stations between Lahore and Rawalpindi.

According to the Pakistan Railways team leader for the CPEC projects, Muhammad Ashfaq Khattak, the initial design of the railways CPEC projects initiated by Chinese experts has been completed and the projects will cost Rs870 billion.

At least four projects in the first phase will be initiated by Sept-Oct, and these include rehabilitation and upgradation of 339km Lahore-Multan track, 185km Nawabshah-Rohri track, and re-alignment of Kaluwal-Pindora track which will reduce the travel time between Rawalpindi and Lahore by one hour. The track between Rawalpindi and Lahore will also be taken up at the same time, he said.

Mr Khattak stated that the Chinese experts have promised to complete the four projects in a year, for which the government will provide full security.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2017