Start to construction of a strategic railway main Northern latitudinal way, initiated by the "Ural Industrial - Ural Polar" Corporation.

A meeting on the issues of further implementation of the Ural Industrial - Ural Polar project within the frameworks of the RF President's order, presided by Minister of transport of the RF Igor Levitin and RF Plenipotentiary in the UFD Nikolai Vinnichenko, took place at the Ministry of transport of the Russian Federation today.

Minister of transport of the RF in his opening speech paid attention to the strategical character of the planned comprehensive investment project.

Deputy head of the Federal Agency of railway transport Leonid Barshanskiy reported on a new concept of project implementation that allows to form the Northern latitudinal way of Obskaya - Salekhard - Nadym - Pangody - Novi Urengoi - Korotchaevo.

It was also informed on existence of preliminary agreement of each party of the project about its further implementation, which was respectively documented in agreement of intent that will be signed in the nearest days. This agreement will set the project’s sources of financing including close and far approaches to the being constructed Salekhard – Nadym line that allow to close the Northern latitudinal way. The financing will be provided by the Federal and regional budgets, JSC Gazprom and RZD investment programs as well as by the own means of the “Ural Industrial – Ural Polar” Corporation.

OJSC “Corporation Ural Industrial – Ural Polar” Supervisory Board Chairman Alexander Beletskiy noted that its construction is of key character for implementation of the comprehensive investment project “Ural Industrial – Ural Polar”, and in a broader sense – for modernization of economy of the Urals Federal District and Russia in general.

He mentioned that the Northern latitudinal way includes completion of the Obskaya – II station, construction of a new railway sector from the Obskaya – II station to the left approach to the bridge crossing over the Ob river, construction of a bridge over the Ob river with approaches in the area of Salekhard town, construction of a new railway sector from the right approach to the bridge crossing over the Ob river to the Salekhard station, construction of a new railway line “Slaekhard – Nadym”, construction of the bridge over the Nadym river, completion of the “Nadym – Pangody”, “Pangody – Novi Urengoi”, “Novi Urengoi – Korotchaevo” sectors, intensification of the “Labytnangi – Chum – Kotlas – Konosha” direction.

Total amount of financing – about RUR 150 billion.
Construction of the main is expected to start in 2011 and to be completed in 2014.

The following persons took part in discussion: acting first deputy General director of the Corporation Alexander Vylitok, Governor of the Yamal-Nenets autonomous region Dmitri Kobylkin, senior Vice-President of JSC “RZD” Valeriy Reshetnikov, JSC “Gazprom” head of the Transport Division of the Investment and Construction Department Victor Rakhmanko, General Director of JSC “Yamal railroad company” Yacob Kraft.

As a result the parties decided to sign an Agreement of intent for implementation of the comprehensive investment project “Ural Industrial – Ural Polar” with development of the Northern latitudinal way – Obskaya – Salekhard – Nadym – Pangody – Novi Urengoi – Korotchaevo. This agreement shall bear the signatures of the heads of all interested parties, including: Federal Agency of railway transport of Ministry of Transport of the RF, Government of the Yamal-Nenets autonomous region, OJSC “Corporation Ural Industrial – Ural Polar”, JSC “RZD”, JSC “Gazprom”.

Participants of the project with satisfaction ascertained that signing of the Agreement will be a start to the beginning of implementation of the ambitious transport project “Ural Industrial – Ural Polar”, the scale of which will get a new shape with appearance of the Northern latitudinal way.