Russian Railways and the Ministry of Defense have previously agreed to involve the army in the construction of railways in Siberia. The head of the company, Oleg Belozerov, said this at a meeting on the issue of transport support for the export of coal from the Kemerovo region, reports TASS.
According to him, a protocol on attracting labor resources for the modernization of the Baikal-Amur and Trans-Siberian railways has been signed. The list of facilities where the work will be carried out by the military has also been worked out.
However, before that, Belozerov pointed out, a system of relations should be developed, since the military can only work under special contractual conditions.
Earlier, the head of Russian Railways has already noted that he is counting on the help of the Ministry of Defense. The problems arose against the backdrop of the economic crisis that led to a deterioration in the company’s investment opportunities. Losses until 2025 are estimated at 1.1 trillion rubles, and in the period 2020-2021 – at 550 billion rubles. Against this background, it is necessary to reduce the cost of employees.
The modernization of the BAM and Transsib remains one of the largest infrastructure projects in Russia in recent times. In 2021, it is proposed to increase the throughput in the direction of seaports and border crossings in the Far East to 144 million tons, and in the period until 2024 – up to 180 million tons.
In the Soviet years, cheap labor was also involved in the construction of the BAM. Gulag prisoners, railway troops and students who came to construction sites from all over the USSR worked there.
Earlier, Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska said that the modernization of the Trans-Siberian route could be a breakthrough for the country and bring billions of dollars in revenue.