French Company signs protocol with Iraq to build express railway between Baghdad with Basra

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The French Alstom Group has signed a protocol with Iraq ’s state-owned Iraqi Railways Company to build an express railway between Baghdad and Basra , the French Minister of State for Transportation Affairs, Terry Mariany told Agence France Press (AFP) on Saturday.   “Alstom and the Iraqi Railways Company have signed a protocol to build an express railway between Baghdad and Basra, stretching to 650 km , with a speed of 250 km per hour,” the French Minister.   She said that the express railway shall also connect   southern Iraq ’s cities of Karbala , Najaf, Musayab and Samawa, as well, adding that the period of the project’s construction would take from 4 to 5 years.   SKH (PT)   1509