The groundbreaking ceremony for the Kars-Iğdır-Aralık-Dilucu railway line, which will be the main component of the Zangezur corridor, will be held on August 22.
Oxu.Az reports, citing "Anadolu", that this was stated by Turkey's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.
The Minister stated that this project will strengthen freight and passenger transportation in eastern Turkey:
"This will both increase Turkey's logistical capabilities and strengthen our country's geostrategic position by playing the role of a reliable bridge on trade routes extending to Asia."
According to Uraloğlu, 2.4 billion euros in foreign financing has been secured for the implementation of the project.
"This will be a 224-kilometer double-track railway. The line is expected to have an annual capacity of 5.5 million passengers and 15 million tons of cargo. Thanks to this project, a new, uninterrupted railway connection will be established between Turkey and Azerbaijan," the Turkish minister emphasized.