The United Nations' Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) is considering the project under Asian Land Transport Infrastructure Development programme.

According to an official release, Escap has already done some preliminary work for preparation of specific project proposals.

The Escap Commission in its 48th session at Beijing in April 1992 had endorsed to study the southern corridor of the Trans-Asian Railways. It is one of three Asia-Europe rail land bridges.

The study was aimed at identifying and evaluating development and operation of a network of routes between South Asia and Europe, southern China and Europe, and Thailand and Europe. These routes would run via Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey.The study also aimed at identifying and evaluating routes which would allow the rail transportation of containers from Central Asia to the ports of Bandar Abbas and Bandar Imam Khomeini and from the South Asian hinterland (especially Nepal, Bhutan and the northeastern states of India) to a port on the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.