On Wednesday, army railway workers began laying tracks on their section of the reconstruction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline. The command to dock the first link of the new route was given by the head of the military department, Sergei Shoigu, via videoconference from the National Defense Control Center of Russia.
Shoigu recalled that the military is involved in the implementation of a large-scale project on behalf of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The importance of this task is due to the urgent need to increase the capacity of BAM, the need to increase traffic flows. That will contribute to the development of the regions, the economic growth of the state and the strengthening of its defense capability," the minister said.
Summing up the results of the preparatory stage, he said that the first, very important step has been taken, which gives rise to a long way. "Having completed the work on this complex and responsible site qualitatively and on time, the military railwaymen have once again proved that they are ready to solve state tasks of any complexity. I am sure that in the future you will continue to perform your military duty in an exemplary manner, confidently master your profession," Shoigu addressed the servicemen.
Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov, who is in the Amur region, reported that the grouping of Railway troops of 1,500 people and 700 pieces of equipment continues to work on the BAMA Ulak - February section. It runs through permafrost and is the most difficult along the entire length of the highway. Deforestation and clearing of the right-of-way has already been completed. 845 thousand cubic meters of earthworks have been completed, which is 113 percent of this year's plan.
"We are currently working on seven sites. On five - there is a filling of embankments and the development of excavation of the roadbed. At one facility - the 2905-Nora Junction - we are completing the restoration of the highway to ensure the construction of an embankment of the roadbed. At the facility where we are now, Drogoshevsk-Skalisty, the preparation of the entire roadbed has been completed and the laying of the rail-sleeper grid is being completed," Bulgakov said.
He also reported to the Minister that on Thursday, December 9, at 10:00 local time, the military will begin laying a rail-sleeper grate on the Ogoron - Moldavsky stretch with a length of 12 kilometers.
In general, the BAM section with a length of 339 kilometers and 19 objects is assigned to army railway workers. According to the plan, everything must be put into operation by 2027. "We have every reason to exceed the plan. We will finish them in 2023," Bulgakov promised. According to him, at the next stage, the military, together with Russian Railways and the Ministry of Transport, will have to travel more than 1,300 kilometers to Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
Yuri Gavrilov
