Armenia announces international tender for the design of the Gyumri-Kars railway
The project involves the restoration of the 21-kilometer Gyumri-Akhurik section on the Armenian side of the railway to Turkey, which has been closed for more than 30 years.
According to Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure David Khudatyan, once a contractor is selected and the design work is completed, a tender will be announced for the construction work itself.
The restoration of the Armenian section is preliminarily estimated at about $15 million. Who will finance the work — the Armenian government or the Russian company "SCR" (South Caucasus Railway), which manages the railway — has not yet been determined. Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that, if necessary, Yerevan is ready to finance the restoration from the state budget.
On the Turkish side, work to restore the Akyaka-Gyumri railway infrastructure is already underway. In July, the mayor of the border town of Akyaka said the work is planned to be completed within two to three months.
A separate issue is the difference in railway gauge: Armenia uses the 1,520 mm standard, while Turkey uses 1,435 mm. The authorities are considering technical solutions that would make it possible to ensure transportation between the two systems; a similar mechanism is already in use at the Akhalkalaki station in Georgia.
Khudatyan also reported that Armenia and Turkey have come closer to beginning the restoration of the historic bridge in Ani: the agreements are practically at the final stage, and construction work is planned to begin as soon as possible.
Source: Telegram channel Economy Of Armenia
