Ukraine Announces Completion of First Phase of Beskid Tunnel
The Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Andriy Pyvovarsky, announced on January 21st the completion of the first phase of the new double track Beskidian tunnel construction running from Beskid to Skotarske in the Carpathians. A celebration marking the completion of the first phase was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Gennady Zubko, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Mykola Snitko and the acting President of PJSC "Ukrainian Railways" Alexander Zavgorodniy.
The most difficult part of the work is complete; the top ledge of the tunnel is pierced. In general, the new double-track tunnel will replace the existing single-track, which was built in 1886. It has a speed limit of 15-40 km/h and remains the only "narrow" place on the Chop-Lviv route. The new tunnel is designed for speeds of 60-70 km/h and will increase the capacity of this section of track from 47 to 100 pairs of trains per day.
The tunnel has strategic importance as it is a part of the fifth transport corridor from Italy to Ukraine. "Construction of a new tunnel is one more project through which Ukraine can realize its transit potential. Today 60% of traffic that goes through the western border, including transit, goes through the Beskids. The new tunnel will allow us to create competitive conditions for transportation of goods in this direction,” said Pyvovarsky.
The new double track Beskidian tunnel is one of the largest infrastructural projects undertaken in Ukraine since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Total construction cost is estimated at nearly 2.2 billion UAH. The project is being implemented in credit, thanks to the cooperation of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). The budget of the first phase of construction was a 39.71 million USD loan from the EBRD. Currently the preparation of documents for the first tranche drawdown in the amount of 5 million euros out of 55 million euros of total amount of credit from the EIB is carried out.
The tunnel will facilitate trade with Europe, and "such infrastructural projects demonstrate to investors and entrepreneurs from all around the world that Ukraine is a reliable and responsible partner that understands the needs of business. The same projects ensure that we will be able to respond to the market demand when it starts to recover and that we will be able to ensure capacities that allow greater cargo volumes," the Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister said.
In the draft of the new tunnel, top priority was given to the problem of safetyfor train traffic, the environment, passengers and staff. The new tunnel will be equipped with modern emergency lighting, ventilation, and video surveillance. There will also be control sensors to determine the level of harmful gases with constant monitoring of internal state, and also a means of fire protection and a corrosion protection system.
The length of the projected tunnel is 1,764.5 meters. Depth is 781-807 meters above sea level. The new Austrian tunneling method was chosen for the construction of the tunnel, using both explosive and cutting methods with an accurate monitoring system. For safety reasons, in the tunnel there is an arrangement of 3 connecting evacuation ducts between the old and the new tunnels, each 22m long. There will be 49 niches and 12 chambers.
It is expected that construction work will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2017 and the first train will go through the new tunnel in the second quarter of 2018.