First train to be sent on Baku-Kars railway at the end of 2012

The first test train on new railway Baku-Tbilisi-Kars is planned to send at the end of 2012, Deputy Transport Minister Musa Panahov said. He said the work were underway on the project.

Remind that, the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars in the territory of Azerbaijan and Turkey has been completed. Azerbaijan allocated USD 200 million soft loans (annual 1% interest rate for 25 years) to Georgia for realization of Marabda-Karsakhi project.

These resources will give an opportunity to Georgia to build 29-km new railway and pit-stop on the borders with Turkey and to reconstruct the old railway. Total value of this project estimates more than USD 600 million.

Earlier Azerbaijan allocated USD 200 million and then USD 575 million of credits to the Georgian government. Annual transportation capacity of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will be 17 million tones. Its construction is expected to be finished by the end of next year.


/APA/