Construction on Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project to restart in Georgia after March 15

Azerbaijan State Railway said the construction in Georgia was suspended because of unfavorable weather in January. Design engineering and small-scale work was done during this period. Ukraine’s KyivHiproTrans Research and Development Institute prepared the working drafts for reconstruction of Marabda-Tetriskaro section (29.2km) and Akhalkalak Station as part of its undertakings in Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Project. The sides agreed on both projects.

Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey signed the final document on the construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars on February 8, 2007. The construction of the new railway in Georgia started on November 21, 2007. As per the agreement, Azerbaijan undertook to extend a $200mln loan to Georgia’s Marabda-Kartsakhi Railroad LLC for 25 years at 1% interest rate annually. The loan will be spent on construction of a 29km long railroad in Georgia, a ST-2 wheel base in Turkish-Georgian border and rehabilitation of old railway.
The project costs more than $600 million. Azerbaijan’s Azerinshaatservis Company constructs Georgian part of the railway. Construction of railroads is slated for operation in late 2011.

A 76km long railway will be laid in Turkey as part of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Rail Link.

/APA/