Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend , corr. I. Khalilova / Musa Panahov, the Deputy Azerbaijan's Transport Minister, has said that the Azerbaijan Transport Ministry has submitted the State Programme for Improvement of The Railway Infrastructure of the Country to the Azerbaijan Cabinet of Ministers. The existing programme is considered for 2007-2010, and the preliminary cost of th projects included to the programme is estimated at a little bit more than AZN 1 bln.
According to Mr. Panahov, as soon as the programme is approved, the financing sources of carrying out repair works and reconstruction of the railway network will be determined.
"The programme envisages arrangements on the modernization of the railway infrastructure, as well as replacement of the rolling-stock. This is a very important and necessary programme for the country, since it is high time to repair and reconstruct the key funds of the railways, which has properly been used up since the Soviet Period,", said the Deputy Minister. As to the locomotive and carriages depot, the deterioration has reached 65 percent. The things with the rest major funds are not better - the deterioration at a level of 60-70 percent. In this connection, the Azerbaijan Transport Ministry considers that it is necessary to replace the major funds in order to increase the capacity of the railway and efficiency of transport and passenger carriages.
The Transport Ministry has already been engaged in the preparation for the projects. Korean specialists have already elaborated recommendations within the project on installation of high-speed train - Baku-Georgian Border.
The railway -Baku-Boyuk-Kasik (Azerbaijan) is currently allows trains making 30 km per hour, and only some sections of the railway allow doing it t the speed of 160 km per hour. Azerbaijani transport workers propose to bring the speed on the railway till 80 km per hour at the first stage, and only then, gradually - up to 150 km per hour. At the same time, it is expected to simultaneously take measures to avoid double expenditures, construction of the ground infrastructure along the railway, which then allow accelerating the speed of trains.
Simultaneously with the Koreans, the Azerbaijani party is currently conducting researches and studies in this direction with a consultant of JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation) - Itochu Corporation. It is engaged in preparing a feasibility study of the mentioned project. The installation of the high-speed train is envisaged within the project on improvement of the railway infrastructure from Baku Railway Station to Boyuk-Kasik (Georgian Border). Many sections of the Azerbaijani railway need reparation and reconstruction, therefore funds may be needed to be borrowed from different sources as well. The acceleration of the speed on the railway is also needed both in the northern and southern direction, as well as for suburban electric trains, in the direction of Sumgayit, for example.