Railway traffic launched through the second Baikal tunnel
BAM-3 is being discussed
Russian President Vladimir Putin took part, via videoconference, in a ceremony to launch railway traffic through the second Baikal tunnel, Kremlin says in its statement.
“This will certainly open up some new opportunities for business, for increasing freight traffic in the Eastern Operating Domain, for tapping Russia’s entire transit potential. It will also give an additional impetus to economic and social development in a number of regions in Siberia and the Far East.
Overall, we will continue to develop modern transport infrastructure throughout Russia: we will build airports and sea terminals, and develop motor and rail network. We need this to increase the connectivity of the Russian regions, for convenient movement between cities and regions, for the creation of effective transport corridors to link the European part of Russia and the rest of it beyond the Urals – to connect Europe and Asia in a bigger sense. All these are long-term development plans, which I am sure we will definitely implement by joint efforts”, said the President.
“After the tunnel is put into service, we will have 33 pairs and will create the potential for up to 85 pairs in the next five months”, Russian Railways CEO – Chairman of the Executive Board Oleg Belozerov.
“The increase in traffic for the first stage (of BAM and Transsib – Ed.) – 66 million tonnes – has already been reached, but it is not enough. As part of your instructions, the second stage is being reviewed, and even a BAM-3 is being discussed”, said Alexei Tsydenov, Head of the Republic of Buryatia, Chairman of the State Council Commission on Transport.
The new tunnel crosses the Baikal Mountains and links two of the Russian regions. Its western and eastern portals are located in the Irkutsk Region and the Republic of Buryatia, respectively.
The construction of the tunnel was launched in 2014 under a project to upgrade and develop the Baikal-Amur Mainline and Trans-Siberian Railway, being implemented in accordance with the instructions from the President and the Government of Russia.
Located 300 metres beneath the ground, the new two-way tunnel boosts the railway section’s capacity several times over.
