The new Sarajevo trams will be made according to the latest technological achievements and harmonized with the existing European standards when it comes to comfort, driving characteristics and safety, according to the press release by Government of Canton Sarajevo.
Yesterday, the Minister of Transport of CS, Adnan Steta, signed a contract for the purchase of 15 new trams. The Stadler consortium was selected in an international tender conducted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
“By signing the contract, starting the reconstruction of the tram line and ordering 25 new trolleybuses, the Government of Sarajevo Canton shows commitment to creating modern and functional public transport and infrastructure. We must provide citizens with the best possible service, procure new vehicles equipped with the latest technologies. We promised in the first part of the mandate that we would improve public city transport, and we will continue to work on that with commitment, ” minister added.
Reconstruction of the tram line on the section Ilidza – Nedzarici in Sarajevo started on August 27th. Minister of Transport of Canton Sarajevo (CS), Adnan Steta, and the contractors visited this location and, among other things, stated that the works will be performed within the set deadline.
Steta noted that this is the largest public transport infrastructure project in CS in the last 60 years. The tram line is being renovated in the length of 21.4 kilometers. The plan is for the complete reconstruction of the railway to take 730 days (two years). The project for the reconstruction of the railway from Ilidza to Marijin-Dvor will cost 20.4 million euros.
“The first phase is Ilidza – Nedzarici, and after 90 days we will extend from Nedzarici to Remiza. The deadline for completion of works from Ilidza to Remiza is May 1st next year. After that,we will move on to Cengic Vila. The project is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)through loans. Contractors of the works are two Chinese companies. The subcontractors are respectable domestic companies, ” he said.
He is convinced that all deadlines will be met. A new mode of public transportation was introduced yesterday at 5:30 a.m. Every three minutes the bus from Ilidza goes to Nedzarici and vice versa.
“It is not easy to replace the tram transport, but I see that this morning the citizens are satisfied and that there are no delays. The new railway will guarantee greater safety for public transport users, and other projects follow such as an expansion of the railway to Hrasnica, an expansion of the trolleybus network for Vogosca. New trolleybuses and trams are coming at the beginning of next year,” he told yesterday.
”Railways, trolleybuses, and trams are procured by the Ministry of Transport, ie. Government of CS and will be owned by the Government. It will provide vehicles for use to anyone who is operationally ready to respond to the challenges, ” the minister mentioned.
Also, Steta said that they are currently considering the possibility of building an intersection near the Bulevar settlement. They have certain doubts about the aspect of design, the height of the railway, and the road. They will use the period during the reconstruction of the railway to try to overcome the challenges. He commented on the problems that GRAS is facing.
“GRAS has big problems and we all know that. It is a big burden to all citizens. It is not about today’s GRAS but about GRAS that has been managed for the past 20 years. We are looking for a way out of that problem. Bankruptcy is one of the options, but it is not the only one. We must ensure that 400.000 citizens have public transport and that within that GRAS has a certain role to which it will be able to respond,” said Steta.
The Chinese contractor emphasized that they have a lot of experience in this type of work and that they have worked on two projects in China that are identical to the one currently being implemented in Sarajevo, Klix.bawrites.
E.Dz.
