In a strategic move to bypass maritime vulnerabilities, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia aim to construct a mega railway network to link the two countries with Jordan and Syria in the next three or four years, Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced on Sunday. He further added that other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are also slated to join the multi-billion-dollar transit project in its subsequent phases.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Uraloglu highlighted that the overland railway infrastructure would significantly help alleviate future freight problems arising from the ongoing disruption of the Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes caused by the war in Iran. The framework for this mega project is detailed in a comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Ankara and Riyadh last week, focusing on bilateral logistics cooperation and the expansion of the regional railway sector.
In its initial operational phase, the trans-continental rail link would facilitate the seamless transport of commercial goods, crude oil, natural gas, and passengers between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Jordan, Syria, and mainland Europe. Uraloglu added that Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and potentially Yemen would be integrated into the sprawling rail network at a later stage to enhance intra-gulf logistics.
Expounding on the operational route, the Minister noted that a train departing from Riyadh can already traverse several regions within Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this project focuses on extending that network to reach Turkiye via Jordan and Syria, creating a secure overland corridor capable of carrying every type of freight directly to European markets. He confirmed that the route extending from Saudi Arabia to the Jordanian border has already been completed, while on the Turkish side, the vital rail link from Islahiye to Kilis and Gaziantep in southeastern Turkiye near the Syrian border is also fully constructed.
According to technical estimates, this leaves a infrastructure gap of approximately 400km between Syria and Jordan that needs to be laid down to bridge the network. Beyond boosting commercial trade and industrial logistics, Uraloglu pointed out that the railway could serve as an alternative, highly efficient mode of transportation for thousands of pilgrims undertaking the annual Haj pilgrimage to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia.
Turkiye, which shares a long border with Syria, has swiftly built close diplomatic and economic ties with the transitional government in Damascus following the historic fall of President Bashar al-Assad at the end of 2024. Ankara has consistently reiterated its commitment to assisting the war-torn country in its massive infrastructure rebuilding phase. Uraloglu told Al Jazeera that a structured financial plan would soon be drawn up for the rail project, noting that the immediate investment would include around $100 million to completely rebuild the damaged route between Turkiye and Syria’s Aleppo, thereby establishing a direct rail link to Damascus.
ലഘു വിവരണം
ഇറാനിലെ യുദ്ധ പശ്ചാത്തലത്തിൽ ഹോർമുസ് കടലിടുക്കിലുണ്ടായ ചരക്കുനീക്ക പ്രതിസന്ധി മറികടക്കാൻ തുർക്കിയും സൗദി അറേബ്യയും ചേർന്ന് ഗൾഫ്-യൂറോപ്പ് റെയിൽവേ പദ്ധതിക്ക് തുടക്കമിടുന്നു. അടുത്ത മൂന്ന് നാല് വർഷത്തിനുള്ളിൽ യാഥാർത്ഥ്യമാക്കാൻ ലക്ഷ്യമിടുന്ന ഈ പദ്ധതി വഴി സൗദി, ജോർദാൻ, സിറിയ എന്നിവയെ തുർക്കി വഴി യൂറോപ്പുമായി ബന്ധിപ്പിക്കും. ചരക്കുകൾക്കും ഇന്ധനത്തിനും പുറമെ ഹജ്ജ് തീർത്ഥാടകർക്കും ഇത് പ്രയോജനപ്പെടും. സിറിയയിലെ പാതകൾ പുനർനിർമ്മിക്കാൻ 100 മില്യൺ ഡോളറിന്റെ നിക്ഷേപമാണ് ഇതിനായി ആദ്യ ഘട്ടത്തിൽ കണക്കാക്കുന്നത്.
(With inputs from GT)
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