India-Russia distance will reduce further, Afghanistan is going to take a big step

Afghanistan is planning to establish a “massive” railway network to establish regional connectivity and enhance regional transit and transfers through the country. The ambitious plan, billed as the Mazar-i-Sharif-Herat-Kandahar railway project, has been approved by the country’s economic commission and will be funded with domestic revenue. This information has been given by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs. However, it did not mention the estimated cost of the project.

According to the information, the 1,468 kilometer (912 mi) long network, which will pass through 37 districts of nine Afghan provinces. There will be 800 villages in this. Its objective is to connect East Asia with Iran, Turkey and Europe through Afghanistan. India is also going to benefit from this. Through Afghanistan the distance between Moscow and New Delhi will be further reduced. Afghanistan is taking the shortest and most economical route. It is reported that it also includes connecting Russia and Central Asia with sea ports through South Asia and Afghanistan.

It is to connect Afghanistan with Iran’s Chabahar and Bandar Abbas ports and Pakistan’s Karachi and Gwadar ports. According to the statement, the project will be completed in two phases. In the first phase, the Mazar-i-Sharif-Herat section would span approximately 657 km (408 mi), while the second section would start at Herat, pass through Nimroz, Farah, Helmand and Kandahar and end at Spin Boldak. It has a length of 811 km (504 mi).