"Energoprojekt" starts works at "Prokop"

A consortium of companies led by the firm Energoprojekt Oprema has started works at Prokop on the railway station Belgrade Centre. The works cover reconstruction of the station`s capacity for the arrival, departure and management of rail traffic, announced Serbian Railways yesterday.

The deadline for completion of works is within 420 days and the contract value a little under EUR 25.8 million. The project has been made by the traffic institute CIP and funding is provided by a loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.

A tender held by Serbian Railways at the beginning of this year was won by the consortium gathered by Energoprojekt Oprema who offered the lowest price. The contract was signed on 30 July.

Besides Energoprojekt Oprema that is officially responsible for the works, the consortium encompasses Energoprojekt Niskogradnja, Energoprojekt Visokogradnja, ZGOP and AŽD.
In the first phase, the works cover the reconstruction of existing track capacity with the aim of increasing the station`s handling capacity to the projected volume of arrivals and departures.

Among other things the works will encompass: building tracks three, four, seven and eight, rebuilding the existing tracks nine and ten, procuring the material for the top layer for tracks one and two, completing the craft works, electrical installations and telecoms systems in the underpasses and on the platforms.

The plan covers a passenger information system, hydro-insulation on the slab at level 105, the contact network and four transformer stations, dispatching equipment and a local cable network, secure electronic signalling for the Belgrade Centre station and the Karađorđev park and Dedinje junctions, and renovating the station signal boxes.

In the last four months preparatory works have been carried out for the start of the project. All the required permits have been obtained, working groups have been formed, supervision services have been nominated and organised, and details have been clarified of the technology and organisation of the works, which will take place under conditions of regular rail traffic.

Last month, a Serbian Railways delegation and the Kuwait Fund agreed on the harmonisation with Serbian and Kuwaiti law of all the details required for accessing the loan and paying the contractor. On 20 November the Kuwait Fund paid an advance of just under EUR 2.6m.

In this way the conditions for starting and carrying out the project were established.

The next phase includes the station building itself, access for traffic and passengers from the E-75 motorway and peripheral urban roads with accompanying infrastructure.

At the Prokop station works have so far covered tracks, platforms and reinforced concrete slabs over a surface of 36,000 m2 out of a planned total of 45,000 m2, according to the announcement.

Translation provided by: www.halifax-translation.com