Caspian Energy (CE): Mr. Asgarov, railways are the major arteries of the real economy. How do you evaluate the development path that Azerbaijan railways have been through in Azerbaijan?
Arif Asgarov, Chairman, Azerbaijan Railways CJSC: Nowadays Azerbaijan’s economy is developing rapidly in different areas. Diversification of the economy is a major priority for the country. Independent Azerbaijan is fully engaged in implementation of international and regional projects. All of it is the result of strategy laid by Nationwide Leader Heydar Aliyev.
Infrastructure projects are underway in the country. Just like in other areas, large-scale projects are being implemented in the transport sector as well along with accelerated integration with the international community. As one of branches of the national transport system, steel highways of Azerbaijan are now at the cutting-edge of rapid development. These grandiose achievements have become reality due to the daily attention and care of the country leadership to the operation of railways.
The period of Nationwide Leader Heydar Aliyev’s presidency in the country, from 1969 to 2003, can be unequivocally considered as a period of the overall and technical development of the Azerbaijani railway. For the first time the push to fundamental development and drastic changes within the railway system and other sectors of the domestic economy was fixed in 1969 after Heydar Aliyev’s coming to power.
It is enough just to remind one fact as example when commissioning of very important facilities was performed on his initiative under strict control. In those years, 14,300 methods of technical innovations covering all sectors of the railway industry were introduced in addition to the regular operation. During his leadership in the republic within 1969-1982 and also during his activity in the management of the former USSR period in 1983-1987 the Azerbaijani railways were regularly supplied with modern imported cars, mechanisms and equipment.
During that period hundreds of steel highway workers were granted awards and medals of the former USSR, and it is a proof that the National Leader always kept an eye on labor successes and achievements of railroad workers and was taking a paternal care of them. Thanks to Heydar Aliyev’s direct involvement in 1970-1987 a large number of specialists were sent to receive education abroad and many of them are nowadays holding managerial positions. All the mentioned is not just a short chronology. These are conditions defining strategic development of the large system. The history has proved that each step of the national leader served to perspective strategic development of the country.
A program on development of our railway is currently being implemented including projects aimed at reconstruction of our railroad system, purchase of new carriages and electric locomotives. The relevant instructions were given by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
CE: Which state programs are currently being realized for improving the operation of railways?
Arif Asgarov: Accelerated development of the transport infrastructure and modernization processes are now performed even more intensively under the leadership of Ilham Aliyev. Involvement of our country in execution of international and regional transport corridors such as Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and North-South serves a good proof to this.
In general, the country leadership took important decisions and signed relevant executive orders to boost a perspective development of the railways as a component of the transport system of Azerbaijan.
For the purpose to ensure compliance of Azerbaijan railways’ level to the international standards on July 20, 2009 President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed the executive order on creation of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC that actually became a new starting point for further development. On February 15, 2010 the Government of Azerbaijan approved the charter and structure of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, thus accelerating work in that direction. In this way the new process of reforms started in improvement and restructuring of railways, in particular in modernization of infrastructure of the railway and rolling stock.
As a logic continuation of these operations, on July 6, 2010 President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed the executive order, approving the State Program on Development of Railway Transport System of Azerbaijan in 2010-2014. This order became the most important document in the history of railways development. The program reflected all major aspects ensuring future prompt development of Azerbaijan’s railways. According to the state program, steps are being taken for upgrading the car fleet and locomotive stock, power supply, signaling and communication facilities, overhauling railways, shifting from alternating to direct current along the Baku-Boyuk-Kasik route, modernizing technical devices as well as fulfilling other important tasks. The state program mainly focuses on increasing the transit potential and the level of services in the railway transport, ensuring fruitful operation of the transport complex via reducing transportation costs in passenger traffic.
Taking opinions and proposals of the Ministry of Justice into account, Azerbaijan Railways CJSC reconsidered a draft bill “On the rail transport of Azerbaijan” and submitted to the Ministry of Transport. This step was taken in order to define economic, legal and organizational frameworks of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC within the framework of the State Program of development of the railway transport system of Azerbaijan for 2010-2014.
CE: Which concrete projects has the Azerbaijan Railways CJSC implemented over the past years?
Arif Asgarov: Fulfillment of the state program on development of the rail system of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2010-2014 is continuing successfully. Repair of a 317km long Baku-Beyuk Kesik railroad was completed on December 10, 2013. The mentioned railroad section was replaced by 800m long rails.
Apart from this, a 1.9km long section is currently under construction on the 73rd km of the Salakhly-Poylu railway stage. This under construction section will run along the second bridge across Kur River which was built in 2014. The new section will extend from the Poylu station toward the 73rd km of the Salakhly-Poylu railway stage. In general, these operations will enable to increase the volume of cargo transportation along the Baku-Beyuk Kasik railroad.
According to the agreement signed between VEST QAS enterprise and Azerbaijani Railways CJSC in February 2009, 5 cars of Express train were sent to Sazvzuduki plant of the Slovak Republic for an overhaul repair. Repaired cars returned to the republic on October 28, 2011. Service life of these cars comprises 28 years. Thus, they will be able to operate till 2039 at the speed 160km/h. President of Azerbaijan visited a passenger station of Baku on November 24, 2011 and checked 5 passenger cars in which overhaul reconditioning had been performed in Slovakia.
Operations on reconstruction of power supply, signaling and communication systems are at stage of commencement. Acquisition of new different purpose locomotives and cars is also on the agenda.
Corresponding procedural work is continued for purchase of 50 new cargo alternating-current locomotives within the framework of the World Bank project that envisages switch of traction system of Baku-Boyuk Kesik section to alternating voltage (25kV).
In general, a number of activities are planned to be carried out in the country with the purpose to reconstruct the car fleet. Repair of operating cars is currently being performed. Thus, 60 passenger cars have been recently sent to Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine) and 16 to the city of Voronej (Russian Federation) for repair. After renovation was completed they were brought back to the republic and put into operation on Baku-Tbilisi and Baku-Moscow lines.
As a result of some reorganization works on reconstruction of the material base of Emergency Train LLC, the new equipment, carriages and mechanisms, materials were purchased by Emergency Train LLC for the purpose to prevent probable spills in the process of transportation and distributed between Ganja, Bilajar, Hajigabul, Imishli, Yevlakh and Shabran sections.
Among completed operations noteworthy are construction of the second new bridge across the Kur River and the branch railway line passing over the bridge on the 73rd km of the Saloglu-Poylu section as well as reconstruction of the reinforced-concrete bridge over the Valvalachay River on the 2,508th km of the Charkhy-Shirvan section and the metal bridge over the Araz River on the 98th kilometer of the Saatly-Bedzhar section.
With the purpose to maintain and repair of the railroads new maintenance machines GSM09-32, RM – 80 and UPS – 2000 were purchased from Austria. The construction of a hangar has been accomplished in the Bilajar workshop to maintain their operation on the proper level.
Within the framework of the State Program, the works on reconstruction of water-pumping and sewerage systems in the territory of the Bilajar station launched early in 2012 are at stage of completion. Production and transportation of long size rails (800m) at the rail welding train #24 in Salyan have been commenced since February 22, 2012. The second production line and the plant bunker of the Gyzyldzha Gyrmadash Plant came on stream on July 4, 2012.
CE: What could you tell about perspective plans on development of steel highways?
Arif Asgarov: Fulfilling the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to prepare the Concept of development “Azerbaijan 2020: future outlooks”, Capital construction and technical control LLC fulfilled a number of important operations on implementation of projects, arising from the State Programme, and development of the feasibility study and technical documentation as well as preparation of the railway development concept until 2020.
A 10-day inspection of the railroad condition was performed in April. Inspected was the condition of the railroad facilities and buildings as well as safe running of trains, environmental protection and safety standards at stations, institutions and organizations.
Recent years have seen the implementation of important projects aimed at improving the country’s transportation system, including the railway, and organization of the passenger transportation system at the international level. As part of this policy, the construction and major overhaul of railway stations in accordance with modern standards is now under way not only in Baku but also in the regions. As part of a visit to Agdash District, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of a new railway station building in Laki on May 01. The building of the Laki railway station has a modern architectural style. The area around the building has been landscaped. The new building has all the conditions for the recreation of passengers.
It was noted that the station now has a new platform. Laki is a cargo station. There are four tracks for accommodating trains, six tracks for loading and offloading operations, a track to the towing substation, a protection spur ended track, a towing track, as well as two spur ended tracks belonging to organizations adjacent to the station.
It was noted that the construction of the new station building was an important contribution to the development of railway infrastructure and was essential in terms of providing a convenient link with Baku and other districts.
Resuming the abovementioned, I would like to note that the railway employees will keep gaining higher achievements in future, applying all potential capabilities for successful implementation of tasks assigned to us by the state and the government as well as justify the trust vested to them by practical work. The State Program on development of the railroad transportation system in Azerbaijan for 2010-2014 provides broad opportunities for the railway development. The strategy predetermined by Nationwide Leader Heydar Aliyev and implemented by President Ilham Aliyev will enable Azerbaijan Railways CJSC to occupy its worthy position among the most developed railroads of the world.
