The European Commission has approved an investment of EUR 84.32 million from the Cohesion Fund to upgrade a key railway line in the Slovak region of Trenčín. The railway line Bratislava – Žilina is part of a priority European transport route: the core TEN-T  railway network.

The 8.9 km long section of the railway line between Beluša and Púchov will be modernised in order to make it faster and safer. The rehabilitation of the Beluša – Púchov section is part of the project to modernise the  entire core TEN-T corridor Bratislava – Žilina – Čadca – Polish border/Zwardon. It is also the last (sixth) stage of modernising the railway track between Nové Mesto nad Váhom and Púchov. 

The implementation of the project is expected to create 128 jobs during the initial phase. The modernisation works should be completed by 2015. Following the upgrade, trains will be able to run at a speed of 160 km/h.

The value of the project amounts to nearly EUR 84.32 million, out of which the Slovakian state contributs with EUR 14 million, the rest being secured from the EU Cohesion Fund, under the Operational Programme Transport 2007-2013.

“Absorbing EU funds is our priority and I am very happy we have managed to accomplish this”, stated the Minister of Transport, Construction and Regional Development, Jan Počiatek.

In 2012, Railways of the Slovak Republic (ZSR) awarded the order for the modernisation of the Belusa-Puchov railway to Združenie Púchov consortium, formed of the Spanish OHL ZS and the Slovak Vahostav-SK. The supplementary modernisation works within the project include the reconstruction of Puchov and Beluša railway stations.

Slovakia was allocated approximately EUR 11.7 billion in total cohesion policy funding for 2007-2013 and EUR 14 billion for 2014-2020 (current prices).

Photo* OHL ZS