Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey railway to be constructed in 2012

Azerbaijan, Baku, April 25 / Trend E.Ismayilov / The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway designed to unite the railway system of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, will be constructed in 2012, head of Azerbaijan Railways Arif Asgarov told media today. He said at present construction operations are being conducted in Georgia and Turkey to complete the project construction this year. By late 2012 it is planned to launch a work train. The railroad will be fully operational next year. In total, Azerbaijan spent $850 million to implement the project taking into account the fact that the work on the territory of Georgia is being carried out through the funds allocated by the Azerbaijani side. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is being built in accordance with the Azerbaijani-Georgian-Turkish interstate agreement. Creating a new rail link will see the construction, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Marabda-Akhalkalaki railway section (except for the station), as well as the construction work from Akhalkalaki to the Turkish border (Kartsakhi). The reconstruction of Marabda-Akhalkalaki section is being carried out in three phases: Marabda-Tetritskaro section - 29.2 kilometres, Tetritskaro-Tsalka section - 49.7 kilometres and Tsalka- Akhalkalaki-- 74.1 kilometres Azerbaijan allocated a loan from the State Oil Fund worth $775 million for the construction of Georgia's railway section. It is planned to build a new 105-kilometre branch of the railroad within the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project. Moreover, Georgia will reconstruct a section of the Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Marabda railway which will increase its capacity to 15 million tons of cargo per year. It is planned to build a point in Akhalkalaki for the trains to move from Georgia's track to the European one. The corridor's peak throughput capacity will allow the transportation of 17 million tons of cargo. At the initial stage this index will reach one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az