Signed contracts for works on the project Hrv. Leskovac – Karlovac

 

The railway section Hrvatski Leskovac - Karlovac is 44 kilometers long and is located on the Zagreb Main Station - Rijeka railway line. Its reconstruction and upgrading of the second track will improve not only the suburban traffic of the city of Zagreb and Karlovac, but will be another important step in the construction of the lowland railway, which will ultimately contribute to the competitiveness of the port of Rijeka by improving its connection with the markets of Central Europe.

 

It is a project worth HRK 2 billion and 721 million, of which 85 percent is co-financed through the Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020.

 

In addition to the already mentioned reconstruction and renewal of the existing railway line and the construction of a second track, it foresees the reconstruction of the stations Hrvatski Leskovac, Jastrebarsko and Karlovac, while the stations Horvati, Zdenčina and Draganići will be converted into stops, and the existing stops Mavračići, Desinec will also be reconstructed , Domagovići and Lazina. In addition, all existing bridges, viaducts and other facilities on the route of the section will be reconstructed. Three new underpasses and four overpasses will be built instead of rail-road crossings, while the remaining existing crossings will be reconstructed.

 

The reconstruction of the railway includes the renovation and modernization of stable electric traction facilities, signal-safety and telecommunication devices, and the maximum permitted speed at the end of the project will be 160 km/h.

 

On behalf of HŽ Infrastruktura, the contract was signed by the president of the Management Board, Ivan Kršić, who on that occasion pointed out:

- With the signing of the contract today, we are witnessing another great day that goes beyond the importance of the railway itself, given that it strengthens not only the local community but also Croatia as a member of the European Union. Contracts for works on the project of reconstruction of the existing and construction of the second track on the Hrvatski Leskovac - Karlovac section worth almost two billion kuna mark the continuation of our activities on the lowland railway, the construction of which is one of the strategic goals of both HŽ Infrastructure and the line ministry and the Government of the Republic of Croatia. With this project, we are continuing the outlined plans for the modernization of the railway network on the Croatian part of the Mediterranean Corridor and starting with the modernization of the railway infrastructure from Zagreb to Rijeka.

 

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković said:

 

- As a country, we have invested a lot in transport infrastructure in recent years, and the decade ahead will be a time of investment in railway infrastructure. The fact that this project is largely co-financed from European funds shows how important it is to be part of the European Union. Rail transport is one of the safest and fastest modes of transport around the world and it is important that we are part of the European railway networks. By signing today's contracts, we are making an exceptional contribution to the construction of the railway from Zagreb to Rijeka, a very important section for Croatia as a transport hub with a special emphasis on the port of Rijeka. The better and more quality transport infrastructure we have, the better our economic development and the pulsation of the Croatian economy will be.

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković pointed out:

- Active investments in the Mediterranean Corridor, with the contracts signed today, amount to around 800 million euros and, what is important, with today's signing we are moving towards Rijeka. This year we will open the modernized and electrified section Zaprešić - Zabok and the renovated section Savski Marof - Zagreb Zapadni kolodvor, and we will announce a tender for works on the section of the railway line Dugo Selo - Novska on the former X. corridor, towards the east of the country. Investments will also be made in other modes of transport, but in the next ten years the most investments will be in railways. It is the decade of the railway. We want Croatia, just as it has modern highways, to have a railway system and infrastructure at an enviable level. Planned investments until 2030 amount to 3.5 billion euros, and will mainly be focused on corridors RH1 and RH2.

 

Representatives of the consortium STRABAG AG, STRABAG d.o.o. and STRABAG Rail a.s. they said:

 

- This is our first contract for works on the construction or modernization of the railway infrastructure in the Republic of Croatia, which expands the area of our work on the Croatian market and confirms us as a market leader in the construction industry. Strabag is a European technology group for construction works and services, a leader in innovation with about 75,000 employees in 500 headquarters in more than 80 countries around the world and about 15,000 projects a year. Strabag has been present on the Croatian market for 27 years, and today around 1,500 employees work for us. We have participated in numerous large projects such as the construction of roads and highways, bridges, high-rise buildings, maritime facilities and water technology facilities, and we are particularly proud of the recently completed project connecting the south of Croatia - the construction of the Pelješko Bridge with access roads. We are looking forward to working with a new client and we expect to prove the excellence and reliability that is expected of us on this project as well.

 

A representative of AŽD Praha stated:

 

- The company AŽD Praha is one of the leading European manufacturers and suppliers of signaling, telecommunications, information and automation technologies focused on the field of railway and road transport. The company provides research, development, design, production, assembly, reconstruction and maintenance of devices and systems while using the best technology and knowledge of its employees. Our long-term experience, of over 60 years, has resulted in numerous successfully executed projects of modernization of signal-safety and telecommunication devices on numerous railways throughout Europe, and we hope that we will justify the trust expressed this time as well.