Serbian Minister of Transport, Zorana Mihajlović, and Oleg Belozerov, the CEO of Russian Railways, signed two contracts to modernise Serbia’s railway system.
The first contract envisages the modernisation of Belgrade – Vrbnica – Bar line, providing transport connection to at the border with Montenegro.
The second one, which will be performed by RZD International, envisages the modernisation and reconstruction of signalling, centralisation and blocking systems, communications and telecommunications with the creation of a Unified Control Centre for Train Traffic Management in Serbia. The integrated control center will bring new technologies for the transport process and constant control over the trains’ movement, increase the throughput of railway lines, optimize operating costs and increase the safety of transport on the Corridors 10 and 11.
The agreement involves a range of activities, which include the creation of a network of traffic control dispatch centers, the implementation of an automated control system, the modernisation of railway telecommunications and other works.
Since 2014, under an intergovernmental agreement, RZD has modernised and reconstructed 200 km of railway lines in Serbia. Works are currently underway on the construction of the Čortanovci Tunnel and viaduct in the Danube River floodplain on the Stara Pazova – Novi Sad section of the Belgrade – Budapest line.
A USD 940 million contract signed in 2013 envisages the construction and electrification of a 15-km second track on the Belgrade – Pančevo railway line, the reconstruction of 6 sections of the pan-European corridor with a total length of 112 km, the reconstruction of the existing track and the construction of a second new track along the 40.4 km stretch of the Stara Pazov – Novi Sad railway line, and the reconstruction of the 77.6-km section of the Belgrade – Bar railway line, as well as the delivery of Russian-made diesel trains.
The second contract, signed in 2019, has a value of EUR 230 million and envisages the reconstruction and the construction of the second track on the 40.44-km stretch of the Stara Pazov – Novi Sad section, part of Belgrade – Budapest line. The works will allow trains to run at speeds of 200 km/h.
Under the terms of the contract, RZD International will also develop a project to reconstruct and modernise the 210-km stretch from Valjevo to the state border with Montenegro via Vrbnica with the aim of carrying out further work.
RZD and Serbia intend to further develop their mutually beneficial cooperation and is expected that a new contract will be signed.
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