Contract Finalized with China to Electrify Tehran-Mashhad Railroad: Official
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran and China have hammered out a contract to electrify an Iranian main line, which runs from capital Tehran to the northeastern holy city of Mashhad, a provincial official said.
Alireza Rashidian, governor of Khorasan Razavi province, where the holy city of Mashhad is located, said the contract has been finalized during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s official visit to Iran on Saturday.
At the first phase of the project, the rail route between the northeastern cities of Mashhad and Sabzevar will be electrified, and it will ultimately reach capital Tehran, he said in a meeting on Saturday night.
The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s administration, which took the office in August 2013, has ramped up efforts to boost the country’s railroad industry.
Managing director of the Iranian Railway Company (RAJA) had announced earlier that electrifying Tehran-Mashhad line, which stretches some 900 kilometers, would allow for faster trains, save energy and increase the number of train passengers to 32 million people a year.
Once completed, the rail route could accommodate electric trains running at 200 km per hour, traveling between the two cities in 6 hours.
