Tehran, September 9 (MRUD NEWS)—Construction of part of Zahedan-Birjand-Mashhad Railway stretching from Nehbandan, Birjand, and Qaen to Yunesi was formally kicked off by Iran President, Ebrahim Raisi, and Iran Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash, on September 6, 2023.

The start of this railway project had been during the annual pilgrimage of Arbaeen.

The eastern railway begins in Chabahar and reaches Sarakhs completing the eastern railway corridor in Iran and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

According to the Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Zahedan-Zabul-Birjand-Mashhad Railway is 910 km long, of which 430 km is located in South Khorasan Province.

Bazrpash noted, this project is implemented in 23 parts with a credit amounting to € 1.7 billion and with a total of 39 stations.

112 big bridges with a length of 11,655 meters and 25 tunnels with a length of 11,710 meters will be constructed along the route, Bazrpash added.

Iran Minister of Roads and Urban Development considered the goal of the construction of Birjand-Yunesi Railway to connect the center of South Khorasan to the national rail. He also said that, Zahedan-Zabul-Birjand-Mashhad Railway is divided into three sections, Zahedan-Zabul- Milak border, Zabul-Birjand and Birjand-Yunesi. It starts from Zahedan in the north of Sistan and Baluchistan Province and passes along the eastern side covering the city of Zabul and the Milak border (Afghanistan) through the cities of Nehbandan, Sarbisheh, Birjand and Qaen in South Khorasan Province.

In Razavi Khorasan Province, the railway passes through Gonabad city, it connects to the existing Bafq-Mashhad Railway (Yunesi station) and further connects to Mashhad and the country’s railway network. Southwards, it is connected to the rail network through the existing Zahedan-Bam and the under-construction Chabahar-Zahedan Railway.

Previously in November 2022, the seventh and eighth parts of Chabahar-Zahedan Railroad as the largest railway project in Iran was inaugurated, which stretches from Zahedan to Khash.