Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Azerbaijan Railways JSC has finished work on the modernization and renovation of the 317 km Baku-Boyuk Kesik section under the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project in accordance with the schedule.

Complete overhaul of the Baku-Boyuk Kesik section was implemented under the State Program on development of the railway system in Azerbaijan for 2010-2014 out of proceeds of credit of $215 million allocated by the Czech Exim Bank.

Specialized railway departments of "Demiryolservis" JSC participated in the renovation work, which started from 97 kilometer of Agstafachay - Tatli railway section on June 10, 2011.

Moreover, reconstruction work will be carried out on the Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Marabda railway in Georgia, which will increase its capacity to 15 million tons of cargo per year. It is envisioned to build a center in Akhalkalaki for the transition of trains from the existing train tracks in Georgia to the European ones.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is being built in accordance with an inter-governmental agreement reached by Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. The railway will increase the flow of containers and other types of cargo from Asia to Europe.

Azerbaijan has allocated a $775 million loan for the construction of the Georgian section of the railway. Funding for the project from Azerbaijan's State Oil Fund is carried out in accordance with the 2007 presidential decree on taking measures within the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project.

Around 30 million tons of cargo a year are to be transported via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, which will become a direct route to the European rail network.