Speaking to Today’s Zaman, Süleyman Karaman, the director-general of Turkish State Railways (TCDD), revealed that the İstanbul-Islamabad line would be revamped to shorten the length of the 11-day trip. Karaman, recalling that the line was completed last year, noted that they are currently working to attract customer interest in transporting goods to Pakistan using the line. Noting that it takes seven days for trains to reach Turkey’s borders from Pakistan, Karaman stated that it takes an additional four days for the train to reach İstanbul as Lake Van poses a large barrier. He added that they were currently working to shorten this time and that the line would be connected to Europe once the Marmaray tunnel under the Bosporus is finished.
Regarding Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and President Abdullah Gül’s meetings in İstanbul last month, Karaman stated that Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım had briefed both presidents and asked for their support to improve the line and make it faster. He added that the TCDD was currently working with Iran as well to make transportation along the line more efficient and to shift freight needs over to the rail line. “The most important point about this project,” Karaman stressed, “is that Pakistan, Iran and Turkey have all agreed to improve this rail line.”
Basra Gulf to Europe
In addition to this project, the Toprakkale-Çobanbey-Habur-Mosul-Baghdad-Basra railroad project to connect Turkey and Iraq is currently also on the TCDD agenda, as new tracks between Toprakkale-Çobanbey and Nusaybin-Habur will be laid by the TCDD, while the line connecting the two will be renovated and modernized. Iraq will build the connection between the two countries, the Habur-Mosul line, which will connect to Iraq’s main railway between Mosul and Basra. The line will link the Gulf of Basra to Turkey’s piers and its extensive railroad system to Europe when the Marmaray project is completed.
The project, which is being overseen by the Transportation Ministry’s General Directorate of Railroads, Ports and Airports Construction (DLH) and Iraqi government officials, will have 710 kilometers of track within Turkey’s borders.
