TEHRAN- Iranian railway fleet received 70 domestically-made wagons and a rebuilt locomotive in a ceremony on Tuesday.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by the Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami, and the Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI).

As the eighth stage of a program for renovation of the country’s railway fleet in the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 20), 57 four-axle wagons, 10 two-axle container wagons, and a renovated self-propelled locomotive joined the railway fleet on the mentioned day.

The mentioned wagons and locomotive have been manufactured and renovated by domestic companies namely Arak Steel, Wagon Kowsar Company, Wagon Pars Company, and Mapna.

On the sidelines of the mentioned ceremony, the first locomotive made by Wagon Pars Company was also unveiled and the locomotive production line was started in this company.

The development of the railway sector is one of the macro policies of the Iranian government as it has been emphasized by the general policies of the Sixth Five-Year National Development Plan (2016-2021).

In this regard, the national railway fleet has constantly received new domestically-made locomotives and wagons in the current Iranian calendar year (began on March 20), which is named the year of “Surge in Production” by Leader of Islamic Revolution Seyed Ali Khamenei.

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

When it comes to railway development, the renovation of existing infrastructures comes also under the spotlight, as according to RAI, currently, the average age of the country’s passenger and freight wagons stands at 24 years and there are also rail tracks that have been built over 50 years ago.

In the last seven stages of the mentioned program, the railway fleet has received 451 freight and passenger wagons and locomotives. The production of this fleet in eight phases has saved the country 26 million euros and has created employment for 856 people.

EF/MA