At the Georgian section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway line, in the Alpine zone, the ongoing work has entered its active phase.
“Before the advent of inclement winter, we are working intensively,” the Georgian side of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars management says.
At the Georgian section of the trunk line, a multiple tonne cargo transfer point was arranged, with snow sheds installed nearby.
Report.ge was informed that at this point, the trunk line is not operating in its full capacity, and when it becomes fully functional is yet unknown. Report.ge is now expecting answers on freight turnover data, construction work stages and terms from the Ministry of Economy and Georgian Railway.
At the Georgian section of the trunk line, snow fences and shields are being installed, and communication systems introduced.
The reports drafted two years ago read that more than 80% of works were completed in the first-third phases, while in the fourth phase, which involves the construction of the Akhalkalaki-Kartsakhi section, 60% of works were completed. Plus, 52% of Akhalkalakhi Station was built. These figures must have increased in two years, but, precise numbers have not presumably been determined.
The Georgian Railways informs that tariffs on the Azerbaijan and Turkish section have been counted and introduced, and construction works have been completed in Azerbaijan, while in Turkey, they are coming to an end. In Georgia, works are underway, but no precise date when they will end is known.
The first train has run to the Kars Logistics Centre, and it will start commercial operation from the end of the current year.
Per the 2019-20 program of the Georgian government, strenuous efforts are being exerted to make the Kars Railway Line fully functional. Private land lots at the Marabda-Akhalkalaki-Kartsakhi section are also planned to be purchased, with their owners set to be compensated.
Per the agreement terms, construction works were to be completed in 2012; however, they were rescheduled repeatedly because of different reasons, such as issues with contractors, changing political climate, financial issues, unfavorable geographic and climate conditions, etc.
Cargo transfer time at the trunk line is getting shorter and shorter, while the freight owners’ interest is growing more and more. In June, the transfer of new freight started at the trunk line.
During the pandemic, Turkey managed to maintain its freight turnover with its commercial partners, with the trunk line proving to be one of its key tools for foreign trade.
The trunk line was opened in October of 2018, with the first freight imported to Georgia from Turkey in June of 2019.
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line is a regional railway link that connects railway networks of Europe and Asia; this is not only the shortest road among the three countries but also between Europe and Asia. BTK makes halving the freight transportation time possible, and it simplifies the process of entering the global market of Central Asian countries, such as Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. A total of 263 km of the railway stretches over the territory of Georgia.
Watch the video below to learn the economic benefits of the project.
