ASHKHABAD
The first stage of the "North-South Railroad Project", which will connect the Middle East to Persian Gulf, will be opened by Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The opening ceremony will be held on May 11 in Serhatkaya at Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan border region.
Started in 2007, firstly the 146-km-long phase of the project in Kazakhstan was completed. The railway will be 930 km in length when completed. 700 kilometers of it will be in Turkmenistan.
Turkish company Net Yapi provided support for the project, constructing Bereket and Serhatyaka train stations, as well as 30 km-long railway. It also undertook the signalization of the project and the energy transportation lines as well as building a hotel, an accommodation facility and 12 houses as part of the project.
Last phase of the railway, 90 km part in Iran, is expected to be completed in 2014.
With the project, the line will shorten the way to Gulf countries for 600 km.
