Speed, a Cyprus-based company, began work on a project to operate and maintain train stations in all Iraqi provinces, the Iraqi Ministry of Transport said Friday (February 10th).

Dr. Ali Ghaleb, the Ministry of Transport's technical affairs advisor, told Al-Shorfa the company began implementing the provisions of an agreement that was signed in late 2011. The agreement calls for maintaining and operating 98 train stations in Iraq and repairing vehicles carrying official delegations and tourists to and from stations.

Ghaleb said the project includes furnishing stations and reception halls, building a central electronic system that will link train stations with an operations centre in Baghdad, and importing cargo trailers in preparation for the arrival of modern locomotives from Turkey at the end of 2012.

Ghaleb said the project will cost $400 million and will be completed within 16 months.