On April 29, in Petrozavodsk, a working meeting of the head of Karelia Artur Parfenchikov and the head of the Oktyabrskaya railway, a branch of Russian Railways, Viktor Golomolzin, took place.
The parties discussed issues of organizing passenger and freight traffic, progress in implementing large infrastructure projects of the railway in Karelia, ensuring transport and environmental safety.
“The Oktyabrskaya Railway is our strategic partner, and the Government of the region intends to strengthen and expand this cooperation,” noted Artur Parfenchikov. directions. In addition, Ruskeala Express, which has become the hallmark of the Northern Ladoga area, was recognized as the best route in 2020 according to the results of the All-Russian Tourism Award.
– Investments of JSC Russian Railways in the Republic of Karelia until 2025 will amount to about 22 billion rubles. In 2021, investments are planned in the amount of 4.5 billion rubles. The company’s funds will be directed to the development of the Murmansk – Volkhovstroy section, in particular, the reconstruction of Belomorsk station, the lengthening of the receiving and departure tracks at the Chupa, Nigozero, Shuiskaya stations and the construction of tracks at the Kolezhma station. Investments will also go to the renovation of the passenger infrastructure – the repair of 19 passenger platforms and the prevention of injuries to citizens, including the equipment of a pedestrian crossing with light and sound alarms at Segezha station, fencing along the tracks at Petrozavodsk station, – said Viktor Golomolzin.
The development of the railway infrastructure in Karelia opens up technological opportunities for the implementation of projects in freight and passenger traffic. For example, the launch of suburban trains on the direction Petrozavodsk – Sortavala and Lodeynoye pole – Pitkyaranta – Sortavala or the introduction of additional trains into the schedule on holidays to the Ruskeala Mountain Park and the Kem station.
– We have big plans for passenger transportation – this is the case when the interests in the development of tourism and ensuring the comfort of residents coincide. Our partners will invest over a billion rubles in the purchase of modern suburban transport – two new eagles have already been purchased, and three more express trains are expected. In 2020, we have made serious progress in the export of Karelian crushed stone by rail, which is in great demand in road construction. It was possible to reduce the delivery time from seven to two and a half days. This year we will increase the volume of cargo transportation, – stressed the Head of Karelia.
– Work in this direction continues, in addition to crushed stone producers, projects are also being developed for enterprises of the forestry and processing industries with proposals for transportation through land border crossings as an alternative to transportation by sea, – added Viktor Golomolzin.
The head of the highway, using the Petrozavodsk recovery train as an example, spoke about the successfully implemented project of using QR codes for selective waste collection. So, an employee using a phone reads the codes that are applied to the technical means of the recovery train itself and receives complete information about what waste is generated during the operation of this device, where it accumulates, how it is necessary to dispose of its components and where the required container is located. The implementation of the project allows the enterprise to efficiently keep primary records of the movement of the received waste, carry out their separate collection and minimize sorting errors, as well as keep the accumulation sites and the territory in proper condition, which significantly reduces the negative impact on the environment.
The meeting resulted in the signing of an agreement on interaction and cooperation in 2021 – 2025 between JSC Russian Railways and the Government of the Republic of Karelia. The agreement covers all spheres of interaction between Russian Railways and the Region – from the organization of long-distance and suburban passenger transportation, provision of freight traffic to the environment, medical support and transport security.
