According to the Bank’s website, the Project Development Objective is to improve the railway infrastructure and services between Umm Qasr Port in southern Iraq and Mosul in northern Iraq.

The rehabilitation and construction of railway projects in Iraq involve several environmental and social risks and impacts. These can be categorized according to the activities throughout the project lifecycle as follows: Planning and Design: - Improper selection of new railway routes may result in destruction or fragmentation of important habitats, loss of biodiversity, massive economic and/or physical displacements. - Poor design may miss including engineering and control measures to avoid, reduce or mitigate negative environmental, social and community health and safety risks and impacts. Construction phase: - Air Quality and dust Emissions: Dust generation due to earthwork and movement of construction trucks on unpaved roads, and emissions from construction machinery. - Noise Pollution and Vibration: Noise and vibrations from construction machinery and equipment can affect worker health and nearby communities health and safety. - Land and Soil Contamination: Accidental spills, leaks from construction equipment, and improper management of liquid wastes can contaminate soils and subsoil. - Water bodies: Improper disposal of domestic sewage and construction waste can contaminate surface and subsurface water bodies. Pollution of rivers can negatively affect aquatic ecosystems. Loss of biodiversity, destroying habitats and increased soil erosion: Removal of trees and green cover for construction purposes can lead to habitat loss or fragmentation and may increase soil erosion and land slides especially in mountainous areas. Cultural Heritage: Construction activities can negatively impact sites of cultural significance especially due to increase in dust emissions, high vibration levels and closure of access to sites of important tangible or intangible cultural heritage values. - Socio-Economic Environment: The influx of workers can impact local communities, including potential child labor issues and public health disturbances. Ensuring proper working conditions and community engagement can mitigate these impacts. - Traffic and Accessibility: Construction activities can lead to road blockages and traffic congestion, causing inconvenience to road users. - Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Construction activities pose significant risks to workers' health and safety. Waste Management: Generation of construction and hazardous waste requires proper disposal methods to prevent environmental contamination. Operation Phase: - Air emissions, noise and vibrations: The operation of old or not well-maintained locomotives running on diesel fuel may increase the level of air and noise pollution, especially when passing through congested residential areas or near sensitive receptors. The increase number of passenger and train trips and higher speed due to track renewal, may increase the vibration levels to an extent that may negatively affect the integrity of old structures which poses high risks to public health and safety. - Solid, liquid, hazardous and non-hazardous wastes: Improper management of these wastes which can be generated from maintenance activities may result in contaminations of soils and water bodies. - Accidents: lack of control and signaling systems or poor train traffic operations may result in accidents involving passenger or cargo (especially if hazardous materials are transported) train accidents. - Public safety: Informal crossing of tracks by pedestrians, vehicles or animals may pose significant community health and safety risks.

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development: US$ 930.00 million

World Bank

Soran Hama Tahir Ali
Senior Infrastructure Specialist

Muneeza Mehmood Alam
Senior Infrastructure Economist

Salma Hany Adly Abdelfattah Ibrahim
Senior Transport Specialist

Borrower/Client/Recipient

Ministry of Finance

Implementing Agencies

Ministry of Transport (Iraqi Republic Railways SOE)
Dr Hazem Al Hafazi
Deputy Minister of Transport
transportnew2014@gmail.com

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

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ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF THE WORLD BANK

The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. Information on how to file a complaint and a complaint request form are available at: https://www.inspectionpanel.org/how-to-file-complaint