TEHRAN - Iran Heavy Diesel Manufacturing Company (DESA) unveiled the country’s first dual-fuel locomotive engine in a ceremony on Sunday, the Transport and Urban Development Ministry’s portal reported.

The unveiling ceremony of the 4,000-horsepower heavy engine was attended by the Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (known as RAI) Saeed Rasouli.

Speaking in the ceremony, Rasouli said that in the past few years, the quantitative and qualitative development of the country's railways has intensified and several provinces, including Kermanshah, Hamedan, Urmia, and Gilan, have been connected to the country's rail network.

“We have been able to provide opportunities for investment making in the rail industry by offering support packages. The move has prompted numerous requests from the private sector for investment making in this industry, some of which are in progress and some are at the stage of signing agreements and contracts,” the official said.

He stated that if the required funding is provided, RAI would be able to put 1,000 kilometers of new railways into operation by the end of the current government’s incumbency.

The official stressed that the manufacturing of this engine is a significant success for the country’s rail industry and would play a significant role in reducing the industry’s reliance on foreign sources.

Back in June 2019, Iran’s Transport Minister Mohammad Eslami had unveiled an Iranian-made freight locomotive on the sidelines of the 7th International Exhibition of Rail Transportation, Related Industries, and Equipment, dubbed RAILEXPO 2019.

The development of rail transport infrastructure is crucial for sustainable development and economic growth in any country, and Iran has been heavily focusing on expanding its railway infrastructure in recent years.

In 2018, during the same exhibition, Iran unveiled the first-ever Iranian-made locomotive engine.

Currently, Iran has over 13,000 kilometers of railway laid and based on the country’s Sixth National Five-Year Development Plan (2016-2021), the railway network is due to expand to more than 16,400 kilometers.

EF/MA