ALGIERS, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian government has earmarked a budget worth more than 32 billion U.S. dollars for the development of the rail transport over the period from 2005 to 2014, the local radio reported on Monday.
Nassim Mustapha, an executive official at the Ministry of Transport, told the National Radio that "the government has earmarked more than 32 billion dollars for the railway development as part of the development program of 2005/2009 and that of 2010/ 2014."
"90 percent of the railway network extension projects are underway," he assured, specifying that some lines have already been delivered, while some others are still in progress.
According to Nassim Mustapha, the North African nation's railway network, which was estimated at 1,769 km in 2008, the network will hit 10,000 km as by 2016 or 2017.
This oil and gas rich nation has launched several projects aiming to extend and modernize the railway network, including in the southern regions, in a bid to improve the living conditions in these desert remote areas.
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