For almost a year now, the company Generale Costruzioni Ferroviarie S.p.A. (GCF) has been working on the reconstruction of the railway on the section Sarajevo-Bradina and the reconstruction of the railway tunnel Ivan in total length of 39 kilometers.
A combined team of Italian and BiH experts have been working on this exceptionally complex project since sprig 2015- their aim is to put the reconstructed railway into operation by the middle of this year and thus ensure faster, safer and more comfortable transportation of people and goods.
One of the main engineers, Michele Blardi, talked about experiences and challenges in the railway sector. “I have always been fascinated with railways. My grandfather worked for Italian railways and when I was a child he sometimes took me with him, so I developed interest in railways at quite an early age and here I am, in the business now,” Blardi said.
Blardi came to BiH as a member of the team of GCF working on the reconstruction of the railway on the section Sarajevo-Bradina. Speaking of the first impressions in terms of railway infrastructure in BiH, Blardi pointed out that railway is in a very good condition, considering that the railway infrastructure in BiH is over 50 years old. Furthermore, he said that the BiH railway has great potential and space for development.
Blardi encountered numerous challenges in the previous activities.
“For me, this is a new country and a new opportunity to prove myself professionally. Working in an unknown country is a challenge itself. In addition, we are working right next to roads with frequent freight and passenger traffic and in urban areas, so the coordination of all operations is extremely important and we have to constantly make efforts to keep the works safe and on schedule,” Blardi said.
When asked what the people of BiH get with the reconstruction of the railway, Blardi answered: “When the project is completed, the railway will be certified for greater speeds and larger burden, which means that traveling by train on these lines will be faster and more comfortable for passengers with the possibility of carrying larger burden and withstanding faster freight transport. These improvements are significant for the infrastructure of the entire country, and thereby for its economy as well. The railway will be the real backbone of the country”.
(Source: klix.ba)
