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Iraq is moving to fundamentally redesign the long-delayed Baghdad Metro project, shifting to an integrated public transport network that combines ground-level, elevated and underground routes, a top government official said.
Under the new design, metro routes will be tailored to the Iraqi capital’s geography and congestion levels, Prime Minister’s Adviser for Investment Affairs Mohammed Al-Najjar said on Thursday.
Ground-level tracks are estimated to cost $20–30 million per kilometre, elevated lines $50–70 million per kilometre, while underground tunnels – an option retained for densely congested centres —would cost around $200 million per kilometre, Al-Najjar said.
Earlier proposals relied heavily on underground construction, making them economically unviable, he added.
In July, a Zawya Projects report said the Iraqi government was reassessing the financial framework for the project after previous proposals were rejected.
Al-Najjar said Baghdad’s population growth—from around 3 million to nearly 10 million residents—and its expansion toward areas such as Al-Mahmoudiya required a complete reassessment of metro routes and designs.
The updated plan positions Baghdad Metro as the core of a wider transport network, linked with bus and tram systems to enable smooth passenger movement from stations to final destinations without worsening surface congestion.
Furthermore, the metro will be a fully automated and driverless system. While this raises upfront procurement costs, Al-Najjar said it would lower long-term operating and maintenance expenses by removing the need for train operators.
The government plans to procure the project under a public–private partnership (PPP) framework, supported by a 30-year concession agreement to ease pressure on public finances, the government official said, adding that the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), have expressed serious interest in participating as partners in the project.
In October 2025, Iraq had awarded the Baghdad airport PPP project to the CAAP–Amwaj consortium.
(Writing by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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