Ammon – 95% of the technical, financial/economic and social impact studies related to the first phase of the project to establish the Jordanian national railway network have been completed, according to data from the Ministry of Transport.
According to the data, work is underway to complete the process of acquiring the project’s lands, and the government is seeking to move forward with the implementation of the project as an investment opportunity in partnership with the private sector. Negotiations are taking place between the Jordanian government represented by the Jordan Investment Fund and a potential investor to invest in the project, according to the Kingdom.
The data indicated that the project aims to connect some governorates and production centers with a standard railway network and link Jordan with neighboring countries, and it will also provide new trade corridors in the region.
She added that the project aims to increase the competitiveness of the port of Aqaba as a major port for the region, and the continuity and increase in the volume of goods passing through transit, in addition to encouraging other investments in the field of logistics services and industries, and reducing transportation and logistics costs.
According to the data, the project aims to improve road safety and security by reducing trucking accidents, reduce road maintenance costs, enhance environmental protection by reducing smoke and gas emissions from trucks and heavy machinery, and provide job opportunities during construction and operation.
The project is a one-lane for transporting goods with a standard width of (1435 mm) and a maximum speed of (120 km / h), according to international specifications, and with an axial load of not more than (30) tons, as the length of the network is about 1000 km. This project is considered one of the strategic projects on the list of state priorities, which will have a direct impact on the growth of the national economy.
This project will secure regional connectivity with railway networks in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Syria and Iraq, and from there to Europe and Asia.
The data indicated that the first phase is represented by the line connecting the sea ports in Aqaba, passing through the city of Ma’an, and reaching the proposed land port in Madouna, south of Amman.
As for the second phase, the data showed that it is represented in linking the land port of Madouna with the city of Zarqa, with branches for each of the Saudi and Iraqi borders, as well as linking with the north/Irbid and then with the Syrian border.