Russian Minister of Transport Maxim Sokolov took part in a meeting with the Transport Investment Club on transformations in Russia’s road sector and the development of public-private partnerships.
Sergei Kelbakh, Chairman of the Board of Russian Highways (Avtodor) discussed the open tender announced by the company on June 17 for a concession agreement to finance, build and operate the Moscow-St Petersburg toll motorway on the sections from the 543rd to 646th kilometre and from 646th to 684th kilometre. Maxim Sokolov headed the tender committee.
The 138.8 km section will be built within three years from 2015 to 2017. The total cost of the project is estimated at 83.1 billion roubles. According to Maxim Sokolov, the project is important not only because it seeks to attract no less than 21 billion roubles in private investments, but also because of its form – a concession agreement for 27 years.
Head of the Federal Road Agency Roman Starovoit discussed the construction and operational features of the new bridge across the Lena River outside Yakutsk. Implementation of this project will ensure uninterrupted shipping to the region and will spur economic growth in the whole Far East.
Participants of the Transport Investment Club were also shown a project to charge fees for owners of vehicles weighing over 12 metric tons. This is projected to add 189 billion roubles to Russia’s GDP in 2015 to 363 billion roubles in 2024, whereas tax revenue could go from 83 billion roubles in 2015 to 159 billion roubles in 2024.
Maxim Sokolov discussed the creation of the Coordinating Council on Investments at the Russian Ministry of Transport. According to the Minister, the Coordinating Council will coordinate the activities of federal executive bodies and the business community to raise private investment for the development of the transport infrastructure.
The Coordinating Council will be a venue for discussing the removal of restrictions on raising investments, as well improving cooperation with the business community and the public and engaging them as much as possible in decision-making related to transport infrastructure development.
Source: Ministry of Transport
