The Naibabad railway station restoration project completion was marked in Afghanistan on Wednesday. The project was completed by Uzbekistan Railways in cooperation with the Termez Regional Railway Junction and Sogdiana Trans under a contract with the Afghan Railway Authority, the press service of Uzbekistan Railways said.

Earlier in November 2023, the chiefs of the railway authorities of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan agreed to repair the Hairatan-Naibad-Mazar-i-Sharif railway section. The leadership of Uzbekistan Railways then promised to carry out the repairs "high-quality and at a reasonable price, providing a 50% discount."

Uzbekistan Railways built the line from Hairatan to Mazar-i-Sharif in November 2010. Its length is 75 km, and the project cost stands at $129 million. Uzbekistan Railways’ subsidiary Sogdiana Trans was set up in December 2011 to operate and maintain the line in Afghanistan.

During the ceremony, the first freight cars arrived at the Naibabad station, “symbolizing the beginning of a new stage in the development of the region’s transport infrastructure,” the statement said.

The opening ceremony of the restored line was attended by the Uzbek President’s Envoy for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev and the First Deputy Chief of Uzbekistan Railways Hikmatulla Rakhmetov.

Afghanistan was represented by Deputy Prime Minister, Alhaj Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Governor of Balkh Province Muhammad Yousuf Wafa, Minister of Public Works Alhaj Mohammad Essah, Deputy Minister of Public Works for Railways Alhaj Bakhtulrahman Sharafat and other officials.

In their remarks, the high-ranking officials underscored the importance of Afghanistan in regional cargo logistics.

"The landlocked country plays a key role in connecting Central Asia with South Asia via road and rail routes passing through its territory. In this context, the Naibabad station, restored by Uzbek railway specialists, will become an important hub for transporting goods from Russia, Kazakhstan, China and European countries through Afghanistan to Pakistan, India and other countries of South Asia," UTY emphasized.

they also focused on expediting the implementation of the Trans-Afghan Railway project along the Mazar-i-Sharif - Kabul - Kharlachi route. "This project promises to significantly improve logistics links in the region and create new opportunities for trade and economic cooperation," the statement said.

In conclusion, the Afghan officials expressed gratitude to their Uzbek colleagues for the repair and restoration work on the 75-kilometer railway line and the Naibabad station. Both sides expressed mutual interest in further cooperation, which will be mutually beneficial for all participants.