Afghanistan extends contract with Uzbekistan for key railway reconstruction

According to TOLOnews, an Afghan delegation recently visited Uzbekistan to discuss the future of the project.

Following the talks, the agreement for the reconstruction of the line between Hayratan and Mazar-i-Sharif has been extended for six months. According to Afghan officials, this will allow "the remaining work on the railway to be completed."

Additionally, the negotiations included technical studies of the area for the construction of the Trans-Afghan railway. The topic of training Afghan railway workers in Uzbekistan was also discussed.

The Afghan Chamber of Industries and Mines noted the benefits of the future railway. The first deputy head of the chamber, Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, expressed hope that private investments would be attracted to its construction.

The reconstruction of the Hayratan — Mazar-i-Sharif railway, built in 2010, began on February 21 of this year. Simultaneously with the work on the branch itself, repairs are being carried out in the Hayratan station yard.

Furthermore, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, along with Pakistan, continue to work on the Trans-Afghan railway project. The idea of constructing a railway linking the three countries was proposed in 2018.

According to estimates presented in November 2023, the project cost was adjusted to $7 billion. One possible implementation option is a public-private partnership in the Build — Operate — Transfer (BOT) format.

At negotiations between the countries in May, it was reported that railway construction equipment would soon arrive in Afghanistan. A group of Uzbek engineers was expected to begin preparations for the work.