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Iraq is planning to issue several tenders for a project to build a motorway linking its south to the northern border with Turkey, an official was quoted on Thursday as saying.
Iraqi Transport Ministry officials have said the “Development Road”, which involves the construction of a motorway and a rail line from Faw Port to the border with Turkey, would cost nearly $17 billion and that many companies have shown interest to take part.
Younis Al-Kaabi, Director of the Iraqi Rail Company, said the Transport Ministry would soon sign an agreement with the Italian engineering services company ‘PEG’ to prepare the final designs of the 1,200-km motorway.
“After we receive the designs from the Italian firm, we will issue several tenders for the construction of the road link with Turkey,” Kaabi said in a statement published by Aliqtisad News and other Iraqi publications.
The official revealed that the Ministry has selected two Turkish companies to test soil and survey the route of the planned motorway. He said the road would pass through 10 Iraqi governorates but did not identify those companies.
(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)