TEHRAN- Iranian railway fleet received 346 new domestically-made wagons and locomotives worth 10.09 trillion rials (about $20.63 million) on Saturday, in a ceremony attended by Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (known as RAI) Miad Salehi.

As IRNA reported, of the mentioned 346 wagons and locomotives, 339 were freight wagons, two were locomotives, and five were passenger wagons.

The mentioned wagons and locomotives have been all manufactured by domestic companies and firms including Mapna Group, Pars Wagon, Kowsar Wagon Complex, and Green Polour Industrial Group.

The number of locomotives and wagons added to the country’s railway fleet since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21) has increased by eight percent compared to the previous year’s same period.

The development of the railway sector has been one of the macro policies of the Iranian government as it has been emphasized by the general policies of the country’s national development plans.

In this regard, the national railway fleet has constantly received new domestically-made locomotives and wagons in the past and current Iranian calendar years.

Last year, a total of 1,660 wagons and locomotives were added to the country’s railway fleet in four stages.

Advantages such as consuming less fuel and creating less pollution as well as high safety attach priority to the railway when compared to some other transportation systems, and make its development economically viable.

EF/MA