Iraq is planning to begin work on the much-delayed Baghdad Elevated Metro in the second quarter of 2022, an official has said.

Planning Ministry Undersecretary Maher Hammad said the project could also be expanded at a later stage to cover suburban areas.

"Allocations for the project have been approved in the 2020-2021 budget...there is a decision to start working on the project in the fourth month of 2022," Hammad said, quoted by Al-Iqtisad News and other Iraqi publications.

He said the metro would cover most areas in Baghdad and may be expanded later to cover the new Bismaya city and other areas in the outskirts of the capital.

Iraqi officials have recently said the project would soon be awarded to the French transport giant Alstom, which has been involved in the project from the beginning.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@refinitiv.com)

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