Baghdad, July 5 (AKnews) - A project to build a 22km urban rail network in the Iraqi capital has been put on hold due to a lack of funds, said the Transport ministry today.
Ministry advisor Karim Nouri told AKnews that the cost of the project exceeds this year's federal budget allocation.
The 14-station metro line was intended to link the northern districts of Baghdad to the center and transport up to 30,000 passengers per hour.
At the end of May, Baghdad provincial council announced that the $1.5 billion project - to be conducted by a French transport firm - would take five years to complete and be partly-funded by the French government.
Mr. Nouri did not say when or if work on the planned urban rail link might begin.
© AK News 2011
