Kabul: Afghanistan`s mining minister says the
China Metallurgical Group Corp has been selected to carry out
technical studies for two proposed rail lines in the country.
Wahidullah Shahrani said today that the state-run Chinese
company, also known as MCC, will begin the preliminary studies
soon for building a rail line from Kabul to Turkam in the
east, and Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif in the north.
The rail lines are seen as essential to help Afghanistan
develop a mining industry that could bring in billions of
sorely needed dollars to the impoverished nation.
MCC had already been awarded a USD 3 billion copper
mining project in Afghanistan. Shahrani cited that contract as
well as other road projects MCC had carried out in country as
reasons why it was chosen for the railway study.
PTI
