General Directors of “Serbian Railways” and the “RZD International” company Dragoljub Simonović and Sergei Pavlov signed today in Belgrade Annex 2 of the Contract on Russian State Loan for the reconstruction and modernization of the six sections of Corridor 10, in a lenght of 112 kilometers and 228 meters, in the amount of $89.9 million. This is a section: Ruma-Golubinci (cca. 17.9 km), Sopot Kosmajski – Kovačevac (cca. 18.4 km), Mala Krsna – Velika Plana (cca. 29.5 km), Vinarc-Đorđev (cca. 15 km), Vranje Spa-Ristovac (cca. 17.7 km) and Bujanovac Bukarevac (cca. 13.8 km). On these sections, signal-security facilities and telecommunication systems will be reconstructed and modernized, as well as construction infrastructure.
 

 
During the signing of the Contract on Modernization, General Director of “Serbian Railways” Dragoljub Simonović said that the Serbian Railways management, in accordance with business policies, continued to implement what is stipulated in the Plan Document on modernization of infrastructure and rolling stock. The result of this policy was the signing of the Contract on the implementation of the Russian loan of $800 million for the modernization of Serbian Railways and the signing of Annex 1 for the revitalization of the Belgrade-Pancevo railway line, which implementation begins in late March.
-The practice of “Serbian Railways” to always be late with the realization of the obligation is terminated. We shall no longer be weight, but the initiator of the economic activity in Serbia – said Simonović.
The reconstruction and modernization of six sections of Corridor 10 is one of five projects of modernization of Serbian Railways, which will be financed from the Russian loans totaling $800 million.
 

 
We are signing Annex 2 in order to modernize six sections of Corridor 10 in a length of approx. 112 km. In the mid of 2014 repair of 2 sections on Corridor 10: Ruma-Golubinci and Sopot Kosmajski – Kovačevac will be started. Modernization of the section Ruma – Golubinci will be realized in 220 days and of the section Sopot Kosmajski – Kovačevac in 170 days. Late 2014 or early 2015 work on modernization of the section Mala Krsna – Velika Plana will be started. During 2015 repair of the other three sections on Corridor 10: Vinarci-Đorđevo, Vranjska Banja-Ristovac and Bujanovac-Bukarevac will be started. The works will be carried out in conditions of total line obstruction. The average speed on the sections that are going to be repaired is between 40 and 60 km/h at the moment, but after the modernization the speed will be 120 km/h. At the same time we negotiate also on Annex 5 to Contract on procurement of DMUs in the worth of $100 million, and the projects on modernization of railway line Novi Sad-Stara Pazova and part of Beograd – Bar railway line on Serbian territory are also being developed, said Mr. Simonović.

General Director of “RZD International” Sergei Pavlov said that this was not an easy project, when one takes into account the diversity of standards between Russian and Serbian Railways.
– Russian technologies which we bring here, meet the highest international standards. In cooperation with other European companies, we will use the latest techniques to repair the railway lines, but also, we will include Serbian companies. Next week, we will sign a contract with subcontractors for the modernization of the Belgrade-Pancevo route, said Pavlov.

The signing was attended by the Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Vasilyevich Chepurin, who pointed out that the implementation of this project will contribute to the strengthening of economic cooperation between Russia and Serbia, because the railway lines are the bloodstream of the country.

The entire material required for repairs, in a total value of EUR25 million, including approximately 8 thousand tons of rails, concrete and wooden sleepers, track equipment, gravel, rubber panels and other construction materials have already been purchased and allocated along the sections on which the works will be carried out.

“Serbian Railways” have provided the necessary materials required for carrying out the planned works thanks to a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.