site.btaAdditional BGN 517 Mln Allocated for Rail Reform under Recovery Plan

An additional BGN 517 million has been allocated for rail reform under Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov told journalists on Friday.

According to him, the biggest recipient of the additional money is the Ministry of Transport and Communications. He pointed out that this is a recognition from the European Commission “not only for the needs we have in this area, but also for the fact that they trust us for the reforms for which funds are allocated.

Karadjov explained that so far there have not been any projects for the national company “Railway Infrastructure” under the Plan, but now they have received approval. The priority is the purchase of specialized high-tech mechanization that will be used to monitor and restore the overhead line network, the minister explained. He pointed out that to achieve high speeds from trains, the overhead contact network needs to be continuously improved and digitised. This way, trains can start running at 160 km/h. The amount of BGN 195 million in the Plan will cover equipment, including 40 newly manufactured machines, four specialised wagons and modifications. These will reduce breakdown recovery times and increase safety, he explained

The second group of projects is worth BGN 162 million and includes the modernization of over 52 km of railway sections, Karadjov said. He pointed out that these sections are located on the Ruse - Kaspichan line. With the implementation of these projects, the possibility for trains to run at higher speeds in these sections will be restored, because currently there are sections with a 20 km/h speed limit, the minister added.

On Wednesday, the European Commission approved Bulgaria's proposed changes to the Recovery Plan. In March this year, the Ministry of Transport and Communications proposed three new investments in the railway sector, two of which have been approved in the current amendment of the plan, the ministry said.