CROATIA: Infrastructure manager HŽ Infrastruktura has selected Indian contractor Afcons for what it describes as Croatia’s largest ever railway project, a €677m upgrade of the Dugo Selo – Novska railway line.
The selection of Afcons Infrastructure Ltd which was announced on May 11 marks the Indian company’s first move into the European rail market.
The 83 km project will rebuild the existing Dugo Selo – Novska line and add a second track, while also upgrading stations along the route including Dugo Selo, Ivanić-Grad, Popovača, Kutina and Novska. The scope also includes new traffic control, signalling and safety equipment, noise protection walls and upgrades to electrical infrastructure.
One the contract is finalised the works are expected to take five years and 10 months.
The project is being co-financed by the EU through the Connecting Europe Facility and the Competitiveness & Cohesion Programme.
Boosting speeds
The line in part of Croatia’s main east–west rail axis between the capital region and Slavonia, following the Pan-European Corridor X route towards Serbia and southeastern Europe.
Before 1991 the route permitted operations at up to 130 km/h, but sections are now limited to 40–60 km/h. The upgrade is intended to restore the corridor’s performance, with a target line speed of 160 km/h.
Entry into Europe
Set to be the company’s largest international order to date, Afcons Executive Chairman Krishnamurthy Subramanian said the project marked ‘a significant step in Afcons’ global journey, with an entry into Europe.’
‘We are proud to contribute to the modernisation of a railway network in a European country, and this achievement further strengthens our position as a trusted partner in international infrastructure development,’ he said.
‘Completing formalities’
The award comes as major EU-funded rail contracts face greater compliance pressure around third-country bidders. Brussels has tightened its scrutiny of non-EU participation in public procurement through legislation such as the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, raising the stakes for large infrastructure tenders involving contractors from outside the bloc.
Afcons said the process was now moving through the final pre-contract steps, with Kshitiz Bhasker, Director of Business Development stating ‘the company is currently completing formalities in line with due process.’