Awash-Woldia railway project to commence soon

Addis Ababa, June 27 (WIC) - A contract agreement providing for the construction of Awash-Woldia/Hara Gebeya Railway Project was signed by the Ethiopian Railways Corporation (ERC) and Turkish YAPI MERKEZI at a ceremony held at Sheraton Addis here yesterday   

It was stated in the contract agreement document that ERC and YAPI MERKEZI signed an EPC/Turkey contract agreement that includes the engineering, procurement and construction works of the Project.

The project, whose design works will be handled by Yapi Merkezi, shall be completed in 42 months. In addition to the length of the main line which is approximately 389 kms, station lines are 18 kms and the maintenance lines are 4 kms.

The length of the total line is approximately 447 kms.
Besides the main railway line, depot and stabling lines are considered to be electrified by overhead catenary system.

Signaling and tele communication works are considered to be covered for all railway line and stations in addition to the construction of an Operation Control Centre.

Three terminal stations and six intermediate stations will be constructed two platforms are considered to be built for the terminal stations whereas a platform shall be built for the intermediate stations.

Besides the stations works, two main maintenance facilities and relevant tools and equipment are considered as well. The total cost of the project is about 1.7 billion USD.   

The Project links with Woldiya/Hara Gebeya-Semera-Dicheto-Elidar Project that will connect Northern part of Ethiopia with the Tadjurah port of Djibouti which will give the country an alternative port access and thus contributes to the economic development of the hinterland.

The agreement was signed by ERC General Manager Dr. Engineer Getachew Betru, and Erdem Ariouglu, Board Member of YAPI MERKEZI and  Sami Ozge Ariogle, General Manager of YAPI MERKEZI.

Present at the signing of the agreement were Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Haile-Mariam Desalegn, Ambassador of the two countries as well as senior government officials.

The corporation has also signed a similar agreement June 22, 2012 with China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) for the construction of Makalle-Woldiya/Hara Gebeya Railway Project.