EC approves 110M euro for modernisation of rail corridor in western Bulgaria
The European Commission (EC) said on July 15 that it had approved an investment of more than 110 million euro from the Cohesion Fund for the first phase of a project modernising a railway corridor in Western Bulgaria, part of a bigger TEN-T network between Sofia and the Serbian border.
The modernisation involves a 33.34km long section between Voluyak and Dragoman, the EC said.
The section of railway line links western Bulgaria with Serbia and is part of the transport corridor linking Turkey with Western and Central Europe.
European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “The project has environmental benefits, encouraging a shift of cargo flows from road to rail and will result in less noise and air pollution, thus improving the residents’ quality of life.”
In the first phase of the project, the existing single track will be modernised and a second electrified track will be laid.
The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system ensuring the monitoring and control of railway traffic on the line will also be upgraded.
The modernisation will contribute to interoperability, particularly along cross-border sections, benefiting both citizens and businesses in the region.
This project is in line with the European Green Deal to promote sustainable transport and remove bottlenecks in key network infrastructures, the EC said.
(Archive photo: National Railway Infrastructure Company)
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