Davorin Kobak President of the HŽ Board, in a meeting with the Vukovar – Srijem County Prefect Božo Galić, announced a HRK 883.300 million investment the Croatian Railways (Hrvatske željeznice – HŽ) plans to make during the period from 2006 till 2010 for the modernization of railroad tracks and machinery in the Vukovar – Srijem County.
According to HŽ plans, next year will start the reconstruction of the railroad tracks on the route Vinkovci – Osijek, which were seriously damaged during the last war. That route should be operational again in 2009, after the finalization of its reconstruction – this has been for many years in the highest interest of the cities Vinkovci and Osijek, as well as the Counties of Vukovar – Srijem and Osijek– Baranja.
At the same time, the HŽ will continue to reconstruct the route of the 10th Corridor Vinkovci – Tovarnik, including the railroad station at that route as well as the new contact net in order to fulfill all conditions the EU proscribed for corridor railroad tracks, said Davorin Kobak.
According to the words of Božo Galić, the Vukovar – Srijem County is especially interested in the functioning of the so-called RO – La Terminal ‘Spačva’. The reconstruction of that terminal started at the beginning of this 2005.
That terminal, the only one of that kind in Croatia, is used for cargo vehicles to be put on railroad wagons. Instead of driving down the motorway Lipovac – Zagreb, those vehicles are being transported via railroad to their final destination.
HŽ has high expectations regarding that terminal in case Croatia delimit the number of permits for transporting cargo through its territory, Davorin Kobak concluded. He also expressed his company’s ‘surprise’ when it comes to the good business results the Port of Vukovar achieved in 2005.
According to HŽ data, from January till December this year, the railroad transported from the Port 534.000 t of cargo. This result is close to the pre-war capacities of the Port (630.000 t per year). (Hina)