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Iraq intends to set funds in its 2022 budget to launch the much-delayed Baghdad Elevated Metro project which is intended to ease traffic congestion in the capital, newspapers reported on Friday.
After meeting a committee formed by the Transport Ministry to oversee the project on Thursday, cabinet secretary general Hameed Al-Ghazi said the metro’s stations and its path would be decided shortly.
Quoted by Aliqtisad News, Ghazi said the committee would also work with foreign contractors to complete design studies for the project.
“This is a strategic project for Iraq…we have decided to start allocating funding through the 2022 federal budget,” he said.
Ghazi also said the committee would soon meet the foreign firms awarded the project to “put the finishing touches on the project” adding that the committee would report to the cabinet which will formally approve the awarding of the project.
In 2021, OPEC member Iraq said it has initially agreed with France’s Alstom transport giant and Hyundai of South Korea to execute the Baghdad metro project.
Alstom signed a $40-million agreement with Iraq in 2013 for the design studies for the $2.5-billion project, which involves building a 22-km rail network and 14 train stations.
(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)
