Think Railways

Azerbaijan plans to open new subway stations in the capital Baku in 2014 to tackle the transport problems of the big city. The decision was made after growing traffic jams turned into an urban challenge for Azerbaijan's government and nation.

Baku Metro put pressure on the government to adopt a 20-year-old program for developing the metro stations across the capital.

The 46-year old Baku Metro operates 23 stations in two lines - Red and Green with the total length of 34.6 kilometers. Under the new program, the number of subway lines is planned to increase from two to five lines, its length up to 119 kilometers  and the number of stations up to 76 by 2030.

Over the next five years, Baku Metro plans to launch 11 new stations. Eight new stations will be operational in the next three years and then three more stations will be commissioned.

In January 2014, Azernews informed that Thales is set to modernize five Baku metro stations.

"Thales has already started the project. Preliminary works and researches were carried out on five stations from Nizami to Me'mar Ajami station back in 2012,"  stated Sergei Romanets, Thales (France) Director for development of business in security and transport in Russia and CIS states.

According to the company's official, Thales is also planning to set up a depot at Darnagul. "The work on installation of new electronic equipment at the depot is expected to start this year," Romanets said.

Thales is to replace the existing relay equipment with a modern microprocessor centralization (MOC) system at these stations. In general, the work is expected to take from 12 to 18 months. "Now we are ready for the implementation phase. That's to say, for the installation of new equipment. Currently we are awaiting approval of the budget," Romanets said.

Thales also intends to install new CBTC technology (system to control the movement of trains) at the stations on Baku Metro's purple line, which is under construction.

Source*http://www.azernews.az/; photo*init.az