Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway to be fully operational next year

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line is planned to be put into full operation next year, Azernews reports, citing Georgian Vice Prime Minister, Economy, and Sustainable Development Minister Levan Davitashvili.

He emphasised that the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor is an integral part of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and that effective cooperation is being carried out with Azerbaijan in order to ensure its full-scale operation.

"We have completed almost 90 percent of all works on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars new railway line. We have extremely good cooperation with our colleagues in the Ministry of Transport in Azerbaijan. Therefore, we have decided to fully focus on construction activities at this time. At the moment, things are going very well; there is good progress. I hope the project will be completed very soon. Currently, we have full coordination with all the relevant parties, and I think we will complete the work early next year as we focus on the construction activities and the construction work. After that, the BTK will be a fully functional railway line.

We have had pilot transports through this corridor. However, we have now taken the decision to fully focus on infrastructure activities to complete the track, and we are working towards the full-scale operation of this new railway line. This road is an integral part of the Trans-Caspian transport corridor. Therefore, I believe that next year we will be able to receive important cargoes from Southeast Asia and transport them to Western countries, as well as vice versa. This is very good progress."

Levan Davitashvili stressed that the new "Silk Road" customs checkpoint to be put into operation between Georgia and Azerbaijan will be an important contribution to the development of the international transport corridors of the two countries.

"Azerbaijan and Georgia - we will not separate. We need to have the simplest transportation of goods and services, and of course, procedures. We need to simplify procedures. That is why we are building this highly efficient platform for goods' transit and communication. Also, customs services are very important. Therefore, I think that this will be another contribution to the trade corridors between Georgia and Azerbaijan."