The project is approved by the Managing Authority of Operational Programme "Transport 2007-2013" on 21.05.2009

Deadline: Scheduled to end on 31.12.2012

Beneficiary: National Company "Railway Infrastructure" (NCRI)

Budget:                        

Total cost of the project: 85 823 590.80 BGN

Awarded grant under OP "Transport": 58 274 218.15 BGN including VAT

Sources of grant funding:

Cohesion Fund of EU: 46 619 374.52 BGN

National co-financing: 11 654 843.63 BGN

Co-financing from NCRI: 27 549 372.65 BGN

The project is funded under Priority Axis 1 "Development of railway infrastructure along the Trans-European and major national transport axes" of the Operational Programme "Transport" 2007-2013

Aim of the project

The project "Electrification and reconstruction of railway Svilengrad - Turkish border" is an infrastructure project for improvement and development of the railway section Svilengrad - Turkish border, which is a part of key rail routes of national, cross-border and international importance on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.

General social and economic objectives:

- Ensuring efficient (with maximum benefits), effective (at minimal costs) and steady (with a minimum dependence on external influences) transport;

- Increasing the mobility of the population and reducing the social isolation/exclusion of certain groups by creating conditions for steady development of the transport sector;

- Facilitation of balanced regional development;

- Improving quality of life and economic growth;

- Support for improving territorial integration and harmonization of the country with EU.

Specific project objectives:

- Reducing the time needed to travel passengers and freight;

- Improving the efficiency of operation of the railway line (reducing the operational length and maintenance costs);

- Improving the competitiveness of railway transport compared to road transport;

- Improving safety (removal of crossings);

- Improvement of transport services;

- Reducing the negative environmental impact.

Location

The project is located in South-Central Bulgaria in Haskovo region, on the territory of Svilengrad municipality, near the Turkish and Greek borders.

Technical parameters of the project

The modernization of the railway line in accordance with European standards for interoperability and safety will be carried out based on the following specifications:

Railway road:

- Construction of a new doubled track railway line along the railway section from Svilengrad to the Turkish border (installation of a single rail line within the scope of this project);

- The laying of the new trail aims to eliminate existing restrictions and to increase the reliability of the railway line, as well as to reduce the length of the section from 18.255 km to 16.815 km after the realization of the project.

Railway line Gauge Clearance: GC

Electrification: Power supply system with AC 25kV/50Hz and making connection with the railway infrastructure of the Turkish Railways.

Design speed: Railway line will provide a speed of 160 km/h when conventional lines and 200 km/h when power supply and signaling, in accordance with the performance standards in Europe.

Project executors:

Main executor: "OHL ZS" SC (based - Czech Republic, city of Brno)

Subcontractors:

1. "SUDOP" SC, Prague, Czech Republic;

2. "Roads and bridges" Ltd., Varna

Value of the contract: 83 999 599.20 BGN, including VAT;