Pact on Trans Asian Railway gets into effect

SteelGuru
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Wednesday, 10 Jun 2009

UN agency has announced that an agreement aimed at linking railroad systems of 28 countries in Asia including India and Europe goes into effect this week.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific said the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway Network enters into force June 11th 90 days after China became the eighth country to have ratified the treaty. The other parties to the agreement are Cambodia, India, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Russia, Tajikistan and Thailand.

ESCAP said the TAR network comprises 114,000 kilometers of rail routes of international importance, aiming to offer efficient rail transport services for the movement of goods and passengers both within the region and between Asia and Europe. It will also provide improved access for landlocked countries to major ports.

According to ESCAP, the Agreement identifies stations of global importance, most of which are located inland and function like ports in coastal areas. These so called dry ports' will act as consolidation and distribution centers in the hinterland, spur growth and bring the benefits of economic and social development to a wider population.

(Sourced from Press Trust of India)