The designs for the rail component of Iraq’s Development Road project is expected to be ready in August, the OPEC member's Transport Minister has said.

Razzak Al-Saadawi said the 1,200-km rail line would pass through most of Iraq’s governorates but would shun key cities to ensure quick execution of the project.

“The Italian company has expressed readiness to present designs for the first part of the Development Road in August,” Saadawi told the official Irai News Agency (INA) on Monday.

Iraq announced in 2024 that it has signed an agreement with BTP Infrastrutture to prepare feasibility study and design of the rail portion of the Development Road, which also includes the construction of a parallel motorway.

Iraqi officials said in 2023 the project for the rail from South Iraq to the Northern border with Turkey could cost at least $17 billion and would be finished in 2029.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon) (anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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