2.8m tons of goods transported via Hairatan port in 11 months

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Commercial goods weighing 2.8 million tons were transported through Hairatan port in northern Balkh province during the past 11 months, an official said on Wednesday.

Mohammad Shafiq Mahmood, director of railways in Balkh, said around 10,000 tons of commercial goods were daily exported and imported via this port.

He said 3.4 million tons of goods had been transported through Hairatan port in the past solar year, but this amount reached 2.8 million tons in 11 months of the current year.

He said traders would be provided with more facilities at the port once it becomes fully functional.

On the other hand, Balkh chamber of commerce and industry deputy director Shekib Akbari said extending the railway lines and creating sub-routes would further facilitate businesspeople.

Meanwhile, some businessmen said they were happy with the rail transport service.

Qalandar Rahimi, a businessman in Balkh, said commercial goods were transported through the railroad safely. He said rail service was also cheaper than other transport.

He added that the railway should be extended to different provinces and regions of the country so that more facilities can be created for traders.

Reconstruction work on the 75km Hairatan-Mazar-i-Sharif railway project was started last week with financial support of Afghanistan Railway Authority (ARA) in cooperation with Uzbekistan Railway Authority and would take three months to complete.

kk/ma