Putin announces seamless transborder railway connection plans

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday unveiled plans to develop international transport corridors, including the establishment of a seamless railway network.

“We aim to establish seamless railway communication from the Baltic and Barents Seas to the shores of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean,” Putin said in a video address on the occasion of Russia’s Railway Workers’ Day, which falls on the first Sunday of August, Xinhua news agency reported.

“These are indeed grand tasks, and I am confident that with your expertise, experience, and commitment to the nation’s interests, we will achieve them,” added Putin.

He also outlined key projects, including the construction of high-speed railways to be integrated with the Central Transport Hub in Moscow, the creation of international logistics corridors, and the enhancement of the transport route from Azov to the Black Sea.

“We need to accelerate the expansion of Russia’s railway infrastructure with advanced technological upgrades, using the latest innovations,” said Putin.

“Our approach must not only meet current needs but also prepare for future demands, ensuring progress for decades to come.”

The president emphasised the importance of further modernising Russia’s Eastern railway system, specifically the Baikal-Amur, the Trans-Siberian Railways, and the 700-kilometre-long Northern Latitudinal Railway in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District connecting to Arctic ports.

IANS