Azerbaijan to buy six locomotives this year

The Deputy Minister of Transport Musa Panahov said that it is also expected to buy additional engines, APA reports.

He added that the Railway Development Draft Programme for 2007-2011 has been submitted to the Government for consideration.

Within the scope of the infrastructure development programme, Azerbaijan is to invest some $1 billion in railway modernization, including rationalizing the track and rolling stock asset base, increasing productivity, setting up a new legal framework and building up management capacity.

After he programme is approved, negotiations will be held with the EBRD, ADB, Japan International Credit Organization, the World Bank and other financial institutions.

The railway company has 473 locomotives while 278 are obsolete.