Development of the South Caucasus Railway is being implemented as  planned, while former and current employees of the company have  appealed to Pashinyan

ArmInfo. The delegation of "Russian Railways" CJSC, led by First Deputy General Director of the company Alexander Misharin, took part in the events dedicated to the  10th anniversary of the establishment of the South Caucasian Railway,  the press center of the holding informs.

The delegation of the company visited the Transport Service Center and the Road  Transportation Management Center of the SCR CJSC, and also met with  veterans-railway workers. Within the framework of the visit,  Alexander Misharin also met with Deputy Prime Minister of the  Republic of Armenia Tigran Avinyan and Minister of Transport,  Communications and Information Technologies Ashot Hakobyan.

Since 2008, the management function of the Armenian railways has been  carried out by the South Caucasus Railways CJSC, a company specially  esdtablished in Armenia,  a 100% subsidiary of Russian Railways. In  September 2007, the Armenian government announced a tender for the  concession management of the railway, invitations to participate were  sent to the railway companies of 40 countries. The technical and  financial proposals by the Russian Railways were highly appreciated  by the Armenian side, and the Russian company was declared the winner  of the tender.

In February 2008, a concession agreement was signed in Yerevan on  management for a period of 30 years with the right of extension for  another 10 years.

Under the concession agreement, the total investment volume of SCR  in2008-2038 should amount to 175.9 billion drams (approximately 570  million dollars at the time of signing). In fact, for the period  2008-2017 the concessionaire upgraded infrastructure and rolling  stock for 110.07 billion drams, or 100% of the investment planned for  10 years.

According to the company's own version, investments in modernization  of the railway infrastructure and rolling stock made it possible to  significantly improve the quality of the services provided and the  efficiency of the work. WIthin 10 years, the turnover of a freight  car has accelerated by 48%, the average weight of a freight train has  increased by 34%, and labor productivity has increased by 46%. In  2011 for the convenience of consignors, the Center for Transport  Services was established, which became a single center for working  with clients. The company offers services for the transportation of  goods from Armenia to Russia, the countries of the EEU and back via  through tariff rate involving a ferry that runs along the Caucasus  Harbor-Poti route. According to the company, for the past time, SCR  experts repaired 468 km of track, 52 crossing overs, over 412 km of  the contact network and 48 substations, restored 9 traction  substations, reconstructed about 40 bridges, including the oldest and  largest Zamanli railway bridge.  It is also noted that much attention  is paid to the introduction of new services in the development of  passenger traffic, the renewal of infrastructure and the reduction of  the time for trains en route. In the current year, a new electric  train of Russian production EP2D, which serves the Yerevan-Gyumri  route, was put into operation and is almost one hour faster than the  usual train. The repair of the station buildings in Yerevan, Gyumri,  Vanadzor, 48 buildings and structures of the passenger complex was  carried out. The reconstruction of the locomotive and wagon depot  complex in Yerevan and Gyumri has been completed, new equipment has  allowed to improve the quality of work and to reduce operating costs.   According to the SCR statistics, by the results of the first half of  2018 the volume of cargo transportation at SCR amounted to 1.4  million tons, which is 7% higher compared to January-June 2017, the  turnover of the Armenian Railway exceeded 357.9 thousand km, which is  2% more than a year ago. Passenger transportation increased by 7.5%  to 159.6 thousand passengers, passenger turnover exceeded 15.9  million passenger-kilometers, compared to the first half of 2017, the  increase was 11%.

Meanwhile, a letter from a group of former and current employees of  the SCR to the Prime Minister of Armenia regarding the real state of  affairs in the company was spread in the Armenian media and strictly  contradicts to official figures and successes of SCR. In a letter  spread by the Armenian media, it is noted that the figures and  reports published by the company do not correspond to the real state  of affairs. The authors of the letter note that over the years, the  SCR closed nine railway stations, sold the equipment, and reduced the  number of jobs, which, in their opinion, is a gross violation of the  conditions for concession management. The letter also says that the  major share of electric locomotives and wagons, including passenger  cars operated by the company, were produced in the 1960s and 1970s of  the last century, and only occasionally were colored, being  face-lifted at fabulous prices and completely do not meet modern  requirements for carriage of passengers. For 10 years of concession  management, SCR has replenished with only one two-car train. For this  train, now running between Yerevan and Gyumri, as noted in the  letter, the company paid 2.5 million US dollars, whereas, according  to the authors of the letter, its real cost is about $ 0.5 million.  The authors of the letter accuse the SCR leadership of numerous  corruption schemes and hope that law enforcement agencies of the  country will be able to establish order in the sector.

According to independent analysts, it is possible that such letters  sent through the Armenian media on behalf of dissatisfied or offended  former and current employees, may pursue a certain political goal of  discrediting the work of Russian investors in Armenia. Nevertheless,  they note that the facts of excessive investments in the  modernization of the railway infrastructure of Armenia may take place  today, since it was for this reason and for the abuse of the value of  contracts that one of the previous SCR leaders was dismissed. The  fact is that the citizens of Armenia and numerous tourists are quite  dissatisfied with the state of Soviet-style passenger trains that run  during the hot months of summer holidays between Armenia and Georgia,  which do not have not only air conditioning, but even a normal  ventilation system. All such trains have long ago been written off  for scrap metal in Russia. One should just look at the operating  passenger stations in the areas of mass recreation near the shoreline  of Lake Sevan, such as Shorzha, which leave an impression of  buildings of post-war disruption.