Turkmenistan starts railroad construction from its border into Afghanistan

ASHGABAT (TCA) — Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov on November 29 launched the construction of a new railway from the Turkmen border to the city of Turgundy in Afghanistan, the State News Agency of Turkmenistan reported.

The President called the event “historical,” adding that “we render comprehensive support and assistance to fraternal Afghan people and will continue putting all efforts that enhance the revival of the neighboring state”.

Having highlighted the decision on an increase of the volumes of energy supplied from Turkmenistan to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Berdymukhamedov greeted Turkmen railway workers who have commenced the construction of the railroad to Turgundy at the request of Afghanistan.

Turkmen road construction personnel will not only build the railway but also develop its entire infrastructure. All these will allow increasing the throughput capacity of Turgundy railway station and improving its importance for the trade turnover of Afghanistan that does not have direct access to sea. This railway will allow the country to export efficiently its production to external markets and import required foreign goods.

The railways and automobile roads will connect Turgundy, located in the Herat Province of Afghanistan, with Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat and on with Turkmenbashy Port on the Caspian Sea. The transport corridor will then be continued across the sea to Baku, Azerbaijan and farther via Tbilisi in Georgia to Ankara and Istanbul in Turkey.

Sergey Kwan

TCA

Sergey Kwan has worked for The Times of Central Asia as a journalist, translator and editor since its foundation in March 1999. Prior to this, from 1996-1997, he worked as a translator at The Kyrgyzstan Chronicle, and from 1997-1999, as a translator at The Central Asian Post.
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Kwan studied at the Bishkek Polytechnic Institute from 1990-1994, before completing his training in print journalism in Denmark.

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