Akina, 8 June 2022 (TDI): The building of the Akina-Andkhoy railway line, which was launched by the Agency “Turkmendemiryollary” and the Afghan business “Venco Imtiaz Construction Company, LLC,” has been resumed.
In July of 2019, a 10-kilometer branch line was inaugurated at the Akina station in the province of Faryab, and the Akina-Andkhoy railway was initiated.
Pres @ashrafghani emphasized regional connectivity, and agreed to improve road and rail links between the two countries. 8/11 pic.twitter.com/2NdvxZnYtv
— ارگ (@ARG_AFG) July 4, 2017
The construction of the Akina-Andkhoy railway reportedly cost $30 million, which was financed by the department’s budget for development.
The Akina-Andkhoy railway building project includes a train station, a connecting road, a loading and unloading area, a freight vehicle station, and a wall.
پروژه خط آهن آقینه – اندخوی 31 کیلومتر طول دارد و قرار است تا چند ماه دیگر کارهای باقیمانده آن تکمیل و به بهرهبرداری سپرده شود.
پروسههای سروی و دیتیلدیزان آن، در او اخر سال گذشته به اتمام رسید و کار ساختمانی آن، از آغاز سال جاری میلادی شروع شده است. pic.twitter.com/PA3Lv8K4E2— Afghanistan Railway Authority (@AfGrailway) December 19, 2020
The Agency “Turkmendemiryollary” and the Afghan firm “Venco Imtiaz Construction Company, LLC” signed a subcontract to undertake a specified amount of land work and supply materials for the construction of this railway.
However, for many reasons, including constraints imposed by the pandemic’s spread, the construction was halted after 29 kilometers and 200 meters of the railway had been constructed.
The remaining 800 meters of the railroad tracks are expected to be installed within one month.
Resuming Construction of the Railway Line
In accordance with an earlier agreement between the Turkmendemiryollary Agency and the Afghan Railway Organization, on June 5, 2022, engineers and railroad specialists from Turkmenistan arrived in Akina with the necessary machinery and equipment to continue the construction of the Akina-Andkhoy railway line.
Railway personnel from Turkmenistan were met in the Afghan province of Balkh’s Akina by the Directors of the Railways Organization and other departments.
Opportunities for Afghanistan
The former President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, stated at a Cabinet meeting, “the Akina-Andkhoy railway line will open up new opportunities for the economic development of neighboring countries by bolstering their small and medium businesses and releasing Afghan products onto the global market.”
In particular, the development of rail links, the transmission of electricity to Pakistan, and transportation of gas to India and Pakistan, as well as the formation of a fiber-optic network connecting South Asia to Europe via land, will improve the living conditions of the Afghan people and establish development corridors.
