A recent meeting at the Russian Academy of Science witnessed an adventurous plan by the head of Russia Rail Vladimir Yakunin. According to the Vladimir, the Russians would be building the world’s longest highway which shall stretch more than 20,000 km connecting Eastern Siberia with Western Russia, across the Bering Strait to Alaska in North America. Here is the map released by the CNN:
Termed as the Trans Eurasian Belt Development, the highway will make it possible to drive all the way & reach America. The Russia Rail sources reportedly estimated the cost of this venture in trillions. However, it is believed that the project’s economic outcome shall prove to be profitable in the long run.
Vladimir Fortov, the Head of Russian Academy of Science said to Siberian Times, “It will solve many problems in the development of the vast region. It is connected with social programs, and new fields, new energy resources, and so on. The idea is that basing on the new technology of high-speed rail transport we can build a new railway near the Trans-Siberian Railway with the opportunity to go to Chukotka and Bering Strait and then to the American continent.”
But how would it be connected to India?
Talking about the road-trip, the first destination from India would be Nepal, to reach Tibet followed by Kyrgystan. After Kyrgystan, Kazakhstan is the place which shall bridge the trip to the Trans Siberian Highway. Crossing the Bering Sea on a ship with your car, you shall reach Alaska and drive to the United States of America passing through Canada.
Speculations about ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ and the feasibility issue is in one hand. On the other hand is the term ‘possibility’ of attaining what was ‘impossible’ to think, so far.
The highway is expected to get completed around 2020 and shall be fully functional by 2030.