GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of External Affairs
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4628
TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.05.2007
Trans-Asian Rail Project
4628. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-
(a)whether the Trans-Asian Rail Project has taken a concrete shape by now;
(b)if so, the details thereof with the names of the countries which have agreed to participate in the project with the length of rail network in each country and the cost of the total project with share of each country there; and
(c)if not, by when the project is likely to be finalized?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE)
(a)-(c) The Trans-Asian Rail Project is an initiative of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP). An Inter-Governmental Agreement on Trans-Asian Railway has been negotiated under the auspices of UN ESCAP in November 2006. The Agreement lists the railway lines of international importance and lays down the guiding principles for the technical characteristics for providing seamless transport. A copy of the Agreement is enclosed as an annexure.
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Republic of Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Vietnam (18 countries) have so far signed the Agreement.
The Union Cabinet, in its meeting held on 08.03.2007, has approved the signing and ratification of the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Trans-Asian Railway by India. The process for signing the Agreement by India has been initiated by the Ministry of Railways.
The total Trans-Asian Rail network in 28 countries is 80,900 km. For India, the route will enter India at Tamu bordering Myanmar as well as from Bangladesh at Gede. On the West side, the route will enter Pakistan at Attari. In India, there is a missing link of 180 km between Jiribam and Tamu. The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned construction of 97 km new line from Jiribam to Tupul towards Tamu.
There are also several missing links in different countries for operationalising the whole network, which are required to be constructed within the national budgets of concerned countries.
RITES has completed a feasibility study in October 2005 for the India-Myanmar rail link. The study, which estimated a cost of Rs. 2941.08 crore for 219 km link between Jiribam to Moreh, has been shared with the Government of Myanmar.
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4628 REGARDING “TRANS-ASIAN RAIL
PROJECT” FOR ANSWER ON 17.05.2007
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT ON
THE TRANS-ASIAN RAILWAY NETWORK
THE CONTRACTING PARTIES,
CONSCIOUS of the need to promote and develop international rail transport in Asia and with neighbouring regions,
AWARE of the expected increase in the international transport of people and goods as a consequence of growing international trade in the ongoing process of globalization,
RECALLING the cooperation among members of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in the formulation and operationalization of the Trans-Asian Railway Network,
CONSIDERING that in order to strengthen relations and promote international trade and tourism among members of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, it is essential to develop the Trans-Asian Railway Network, including stations and container terminals of international importance, to the requirements of international transport and the environment,
KEEPING also in view the role of railway transport as an important component of an effective and efficient international transport network, especially in addressing the specific needs of landlocked and transit countries,
HAVE AGREED as follows:
Article 1
Definition of Railway Lines of International Importance
For the purposes of the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway Network (the “Agreement”), the term “railway lines of international importance” as described in Annex 1 shall refer to:
a) Railway lines currently used for regular international transport;
b) Railway lines, either existing, under construction, or planned, that are intended to be used for regular international transport;
c) Ferry links ensuring continuous transport across seas or lakes between terminals in different States or within one State;
d)Border crossing points, gauge interchange stations, ferry terminals and rail-connected container terminals where Customs clearance facilities / services are provided.
Article 2
Adoption of the Trans-Asian Railway Network
The Contracting parties (the “Parties”) hereto adopt the railway lines of international importance described in Annex 1 to the Agreement as a coordinated plan for the development of railway lines of international importance which they intend to be undertaken within the framework of the national programmes of the Parties.
Article 3
Development of the Trans-Asian Railway Network
The lines of the Trans-Asian Railway Network should be brought into conformity with the guiding principles related to technical characteristics described in Annex II to the Agreement.
Article 4
Procedure for signing and becoming a Party
Article 5
Entry into force
Article 6
Working Group on the Trans-Asian Railway Network
Article 7
Procedures for amending the main text
Article 8
Procedures for amending annex I
Article 9
Procedures for amending annex II
Article 10
Reservations
Reservations may not be made with respect to any of the provisions of the Agreement, except as provided in Article 13, paragraph 5.
Article 11
Withdrawal
Any Party may withdraw from the Agreement by written notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The withdrawal shall take effect twelve (12) months after the date of receipt by the Secretary-General of such notification.
Article 12
Suspension of validity
The operation of the Agreement shall be suspended if the number of Parties becomes less than eight (8) for any period of twelve (12) consecutive months. In such a situation the secretariat shall notify the Parties. The provisions of the Agreement shall again become operative if the number of Parties reaches eight (8).
Article 13
Settlement of disputes
Article 14
Limits to the application
Article 15
Annexes
Annexes I and II to the Agreement shall form an integral part of the Agreement.
Article 16
Secretariat
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific shall be designation the secretariat of the Agreement.
Article 17
Depositary
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall be designated the depositary of the Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto, have signed the Agreement,
OPENED for signature on the tenth day of November two thousand and six at Busa, Republic of Korea, in a single copy in the Chinese, English and Russian languages, the three texts being equally authentic.
Annex I
TRANS-ASIAN RAILWAY NETWORK
____________
The Trans – Asian Railway network consists of the railway lines of international importance indicated below.
The lines that form the basis for describing the Trans-Asian Railway Network in each State are designated in bold with the origin and end stations and are then listed vertically. Lines branching off are described to the right of the junction station. Further branches are shown indented underneath this first branch. All lines are of equal importance within the Trans-Asian Railway Network.
When lines start or finish at a border point, the first or last stations on that line are preceded or followed by the indication in brackets of the name of the border station and the name of the neighbouring State directly concerned.
The names of Stations that have specific functions on a line are followed by the indication of these functions in italics and brackets. Such functions include:
- (border station),
- (break-of-gauge),
- (function),
- (maritime connection), and
- (ferry terminals).
Missing links are indicated in [square brackets].
Stations with container terminals to handle International Standards Organization (ISO) containers of at least 20-foot dimension in length and above are shown underlined.
LIST OF THE LINES IN THE TRANS-ASIAN RAILWAY NETWORK -- Click Here to see the list
ANNEX II
GUIDING PRINCIPLES RELATING TO TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE TRANS-ASIAN RAILWAY NETWORK
1. General
The development of the Trans-Asian Railway network, as defined in Annex I of the Agreement shall be guided by the following principles relating to technical characteristics. Parties shall make every possible effort to conform to these principles both in constructing new rail sections and upgrading and modernizing existing ones.
2. Line capacity
Railway lines of international importance must provide adequate capacity so as to allow efficient, reliable and economical movement of rail services for goods and passengers.
3. Vehicle loading gauge
Given that the Trans – Asian network will be an important component in the definition of an integrated international intermodal transport network for countries of the ESCAP region, the existing lines of the network should be, wherever necessary, upgraded and future lines should be developed so as to provide unhindered movements of ISO containers of at least 20 – foot dimension in length and above.
4. Interoperability
Technical requirements should ensure seamless transport of international goods and containers along railway lines of international importance. Accordingly, railway lines and related infrastructure and equipment should meet international requirements, including those for the transport and transfer of heavy trains carrying goods such as, inter alia, petroleum products, coal, mineral ores, cement and grain.
Parties should take into consideration technical requirements of neighbouring contries, as well as other countries through which railway lines of international importance pass; and endeavour to upgrade their lines so as to remove technical restrictions and ensure interoperability between railways.
Where gauge continuity permits, or is likely to result from constructing missing sections across borders, specific issues arise as regards the compatibility of rolling stock used in international transport, including braking systems and couplings. In this respect, the efficiency of railway operations across borders requires the use of air-braked rolling stock and compatible coupling systems.
For reference, the gauges of the Trans-Asian Railway network are as follows:
Railway gauge of TAR member countries (mm) |
||||
1.000 |
1.067 |
1.435 |
1.520 |
1.676 |
1. Bangladesh |
Indonesia |
1. China2 |
1. Armenia |
1. Bangladesh1 |
2. Cambodia |
|
2. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea |
2. Azerbaijan |
2. India |
3. Lao People’s Democratic Republic |
|
3. Republic of Korea |
3. Georgia |
3. Nepal |
4. Malaysia |
|
4. Islamic Republic of Iran |
4. Kazakhstan |
4. Pakistan |
5. Myanmar |
|
5. Turkey |
5. Kyrgyzstan |
5. Sri Lanka |
6. Singapore 3 |
|
|
6. Mongolia |
|
7. Thailand |
|
|
7. Russian Federation |
|
8. Viet Nam4 |
|
|
8. Tajikistan |
|
|
|
|
9. Turkmenistan |
|
|
|
|
10. Uzbekistan |
|
Potential members of TAR: Japan (1,067 mm gauge) and the Philippines (1,067mm gauge).
5. Standards for container terminals
International intermodal traffic requires efficient container terminals. The international container terminals along the lines of the Trans-Asian Railway network must:
- be located as close as possible to the main trunk line so that no time is lost entering and exiting the terminal;
- be set aside from other yards so that their operations are not hampered by other shunting movements;
- offer easy access to road vehicles so as to guarantee reliability of the road-rail interface:
- have track of sufficient length at loading / unloading area to reduce the need for shunting;
- be equipped with equipment comprising of gantry cranes, straddle-carriers, top-lifters and/or reach-stackers able to handle ISO containers of at least 20-foot dimension in length;
- make provisions for possible expansion;
- offer Customs facilities for the clearance of goods.