Cabinet allocates $325m to Isfahan-Shiraz railroad

ISFAHAN – Over $325 million has been allocated to complete the Isfahan-Shiraz railroad, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Transportation Mohammad Rahmati said on Wednesday.
“We hope that with the allocation of this amount this project will be ready for utilization next year (start March 21, 2009),” he added.
The Ministry of Roads and Transportation is to fund the project out of the energy saving reserved budget.
------------------Post Symposium held in Tehran
TEHRAN – The “Post Services Comprehensive Development” Symposium was held here at the Telecommunications Research Center on Monday.
This one day event was attended by the National Post Office managers and members of the board of directors, and the plan implementation group.
The symposium emphasized on the importance of expanding and renovating the post system and announced major achievements gained in this field.
------------------Bushehr welcomes investment in seawater desalination project
BUSHEHR – Bushehr governor general’s deputy for development affairs announced that the province welcome investment in the seawater desalination project.
“To this end, we are ready to sign contracts with the private sector entities,” Nasuri said.
“The initial steps for this project have been taken and the private sector can sign Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) and Build-Own-Operate (BOO) contracts,” he added.
He emphasized that the ministry of energy will guarantee the purchase of the produced water.
“We have found the locations for this project and we will be ready to absorb the private sector’s investments after the summoning,” Nasuri noted.
He also noted that organizing and reviving ducts was an important part of this project.
“First we have to revive the ducts in the province and then we have to create a new method which lies between traditional and mechanized methods to increase the production rate.”
Nasuri also stated that two new power plants were to be constructed in Bushehr to increase the province’s electricity generation capacity.
This official elsewhere pointed out that 2700 hectares are to be added to this province’s free trade zone area.