The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal network connecting India to Central Asia through Iran, is expected to reduce cargo transit time between some points by as much as one month, according to government sources.
They are enthused by the progress made at a meeting of experts that ended here on Wednesday and feel it has gone according to the script.
In order to get acquainted with the corridor and its missing links, the experts wanted a dry run — proposed for next year — conducted from Mumbai to Russia via Bandar Abbas and the Caspian Sea. It should include despatch of test cargo and coordination among countries, the sources suggested.
The experts also wanted an INSTC Operational Authority set up to resolve operational issues.
Their recommendations will be taken up at the Coordination Council meeting to be held in Azerbaijan.
The experts also discussed the Chabahar-Zahedan-Mashhad route in which India will play a major role. About 1,300 km of rail line is to be laid in conjunction with India but Tehran is yet to provide New Delhi technical details.
Keywords: International North South Transport Corridor, INSTC, maritime transport, Bandar Abbas port, infrastructure
An important and interesting project. Care will have to be taken by
our authrtrieiss to ensure that the project is on time. There is need
also to reprot to the people the progres in these efforts. It may be
recalled at this juncture that when last year the Chinese government
decided to open more SEZs, they created one at Xingjiang not only to
further develoop this minorkity region but also to take advantage of
the marekts of Central Asia and Afghanistan and Pakistan. The more
number of rail and highway connections we establish to reach the
Central Asian and Afghnan markets avoidng the troubeld Pakistan
territory, the greater will be our benefit not only commercially but
also strategically.
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