Preparations for trans-Afghan railroad feasibility study underway - Russian deputy PM

KABUL. Nov 26 (Interfax) - Preparations are ongoing ahead of a feasibility study for a trans-Afghan railroad project, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said.

"We view this project as key to improving connectivity in the region of Central Asia and Eurasia as a whole. We see it as an element of our large project of the North-South international transport corridor, designed to connect countries in the north of Eurasia with the Global South," Overchuk told journalists after talks with the Afghan authorities in Kabul.

One of these routes may transit Afghanistan, he said.

"Two railroads could be built here - western and eastern railroads. This is what our companies, our Transport Ministry are working on today with counterparts from other Central Asian countries," he said.

Preparations to conduct this project's feasibility study are in progress now, he said.

As the entire territory of Afghanistan is under the central government's control, there is an opportunity to conduct transit freight shipments by road, and trucking companies from Central Asia are actively using this route today, Overchuk said.

"We are interested in Afghanistan playing the key role in transport links that it can play. We discussed this issue at the talks today. Of course, our counterparts are also committed to joint work," he said.