GOVT DISCUSSES ALTERNATIVES TO IMPLEMENT RAILWAY PROJECT

SANA'A, March 09 (Saba) - The Cabinet discussed on Tuesday the necessary alternatives and plans for the implementation of railway project by either the government or investors, according to feasibility studies of this vital project.

The project includes four main axes, which are the international line linking Yemen to Saudi Arabia, which extends through Aden and Taiz to the Saudi borders with a length of 729 km, and the international line connecting the Sultanate of Oman and Yemen, which extends from Shihin to Ghaydah in Mahrah and Mukala in Hadramout and then to the port of Balhaf on the Arab Sea with a length of 766 km, followed by the line that connects Balhaf to the city of Aden with a length of 386 km.

The fourth axis focuses on minerals line which will run from Jawf to Balhaf Port on the Arab Sea via the cities of Marib and Ataq with an approximate length of 578 km.

The Cabinet formed a committee headed by Minister of Planning and International Cooperation and the membership of Ministers of Transport, Public Works and Roads, Finance , and Water and Environment to study the proposals and visions of the Transport Ministry and set the plans and alternatives to implement the project and to submit its findings to the cabinet within a maximum period of month.

Moreover, the Cabinet stressed the importance of this project economically, socially and culturally, noting the importance of adding a fifth axis to the project to include the line of the capital Sana'a to the port of Hodeidah on the Red Sea and from Sana'a to the city of Aden through the cities of Ibb and Taiz, so as to connect the cities with population density to the ports cities.

BA