RITES conducting feasibility studies along IMEC corridor
Leading railway PSU, RITES Ltd. has emerged as a key contender among other Indian railway companies eyeing development along the strategic IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC), RITES chairman and managing director Rahul Mithal told The Hindu.
RITES and AD Ports are now analysing the feasibility of development along missing links across the existing rail corridor that passes through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel, Mr. Mithal said.
“There are multiple missing links across the rail portion and certain corridors which need augmentation to deal with these kinds of volumes. So, assessments are being done on the kind of capacity augmentation required, kind of designs and costs involved. Even though it is a desert area, the terrain is not that challenging that it can’t be done,” he noted.
Similarly, a proposed rail route from Jebel Ali (UAE) to Haifa spans 2,565 km with missing link of 745 km, another route from Abu Dhabi to Haifa spans across 2,449 km with 629 km of missing link, while the proposed route from Dammam port to Haifa is 2,149 km with 289 km of missing link. Lastly, Ras AlKhair port to Haifa spans 1,809 km with 269 km of missing link. Mr. Mithal said that AD Ports is looking to develop and invest in infrastructure augmentation not only in the UAE leg of the IMEC but across the entire corridor.
“We are analysing the kind of cargo potential for IMEC, and augmentation of infrastructure at ports on various ends,” he said.
He added that these are early stages where alignments, corridors, facilities, infrastructure required, and funding mechanisms are being worked out by each of the countries.