Ethiopian Railways Corporation (ERC) announced track laying for Awash-Kombolch-Woldia/Hara Gebeya railway project would start in a month.

According to Dereje Tefera, Communication Head at ERC, the project was launched back in October 2014 and it is now 33 percent complete. The railway stretches for 390 kilometer and estimated to cost 1.7 billion USD. The contractor is Turkish company, Yapi Merkezi.

The railway being constructed by Yapi Merkezi is said to connect the northern and central parts of Ethiopia.

The project, according to Fana Broadcasting Corporate, is going to have 40 kilometers maintenance lines and 18 kilometers station lines. In addition to this, the 145 tunnels, 65 bridges, 3 terminals along with 6 intermediate stations will be constructed.

The project is expected to be finalized in 3 years and 7 months' time. During the second Growth and Transformation Plan period (GTP II), Ethiopia plans to construct 5000 kilometers of new railway lines.

Awash-Kombolch-Woldia/Hara Gebeya railway project is said to have created more than 2800 job opportunities.

Source: Fana Broadcasting Corporate