Damascus - Ministry of Transport has set its new plan for 2011 based on proposing a number of vital investment projects, attracting capital from the local and foreign private sectors and creating new job opportunities, in addition to achieving macroeconomic feasibility at the national level and increasing the efficiency of the infrastructure.
The Ministry seeks to encourage the partnerships between the Syrian Arab Airlines and various local and foreign companies to increase the capacity of transferring passenger, and cargo in addition to establishing a number of dry ports and benefiting from Syria's geographic location as a transport hub.
The joint projects between the Ministry and the private sector focus on rehabilitating the railway network in the domain of transporting passengers and goods
The most important road transport projects are the two axial highways based on the principle of paid roads. The first one links the Syrian-Turkish borders in the north to the Syrian-Jordanian borders in the south with a length of 500 km while the other one connects the Iraqi borders to the east with the Syrian Coast to the west with a length of 370 km. the project's cost is estimated at USD 1.8 billions.
Damascus Grand Road Shunt surrounds the city with a length of 110 km. It is supposed to meet the axial highways without the need to go inside the city. The estimated cost of the project is USD 400 millions.
The Logistic Station Project in the Central Area includes establishing integrated logistic station in the framework of the European-Mediterranean logistic network stations.
The railway transport project includes the railway connecting al-Hijaz Station in Damascus to Damascus International Airport. The project includes the construction of electric double railway according to standard specifications.
The project of Damascus railway continues to the Syrian-Jordanian borders. It is connected with Europe and Turkey to the north and the Arab Gulf and Yemen to the east with an estimated cost of USD 233 millions.
The estimated value of Damascus Subway Project to be carried out by the private sector is USD 1.5 billions. It aims at transferring 850,000 people daily through crossing 17 stations starting from al-Moaddamiya Station to al-Hijaz area on its way to the future station of al-Qaboun.
In the field of sea transport, the Ministry works on developing and restoring the old port of Lattakia.
The sea projects also include establishing a basin for building ships on an area of 561,000 square meters with an estimated value of USD 44 millions.
In Tartous Port, a Philippine company was given the authorization to operate the container station. Excursion and fishing port in Banias was put for investment. Loloa Airlines, a new air company was established by the Syrian Airways and the private company of Cham.
In the field of air transport, a new building for passengers is being constructed at Damascus International Airport with a capacity of 8 million travelers annually with an estimated value of USD 466 millions.
In the field of interior transport, 600 large and medium-sized buses were imported covering the cities of Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Lattakia.
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2011
