Azerbaijan, Czech companies ink railway agreement
By Amina Nazarli
Azerbaijan Railways JSC and Czech company “Moravia Steel” has signed an additional agreement to refurbish Baku-Boyuk Kesik railway.
To implement the project’s second stage of the reconstruction of Azerbaijan railway the two companies have signed an agreement, Azerbaijan Railways on April 14.
In December 2013, Azerbaijani Railway completed the repair of 317 kilometers on the route Baku - Boyuk Kesik under the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project.
The complete overhaul of the Baku-Boyuk Kesik section was implemented under the State Program on the railway system development in Azerbaijan for 2010-2014. Czech Exim Bank allocated to the project an estimated $215 million.
“The agreement is an addition to an export contract on logistics and overhaul of the 600-meter section of the Baku-Boyuk Kesik,” Azerbaijan Railways said.
The main purpose of the state program is to provide effective activity of the transport complex by increasing the transit potential of Azerbaijan, increase the level of railway transport services and reduce transport expenditures while transporting passengers and loads.
After reconstruction, the average speed of trains on the Baku-Boyuk Kesik route is expected to reach 140 kilometers per hour.
“The sides also decided to expand bilateral cooperation," a company report read.
Baku-Boyuk Kesik, a Baku-Georgian border is part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which is being constructed based on the Georgia-Azerbaijan-Turkish interstate agreement. The project has been funded by the Azerbaijani State Oil Foundation since February 21, 2007.
The railway is effective from an economic point of view. It is stable, and fully complies with environmental standards. It means the beginning of a new stage in the transport development. Its launch has been scheduled for 2015.
The railway line will expand multi-modal transportation opportunities and ensure the growth of passenger and freight transportation.
Until January 2014 Azerbaijan allocated a loan of almost $800 million to Georgia for the construction of 29 km and the reconstruction of 153 km of the railway line.
--
Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on
Twitter: @amina_nazarli
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz