Railway Line Beljakovce – Kriva Palanka

Technical Details

The project involves the rehabilitation and construction of the 35.2 km long railway section between Beljakovce and Kriva Palanka on the Trans-European Railway Corridor VIII between the capital Skopje and the border with Bulgaria. The project implementation originally began in the 1990s but construction came to a halt and the project was left unfinished to a great extent. The Republic of North Macedonia secured funding from EBRD and EIB to revise the designs to meet the current requirements and to complete the construction.

Obermeyer’s assignment embraces the provision of engineering services in both the design and the tender phase. The section has a total of 40 km tracks, 12 new bridges, 4 new tunnels, 25 existing bridges and 10 existing tunnels, all partly constructed, which require checking and optimization, two stations and 3 stops. The project adheres to the EU interoperability requirements and designs are according to the relevant both Macedonian and European regulations. The tender process to select a contractor for works and services ensures compliance with EBRD’s Procurement Policies and Rules; Works Contract is under FIDIC rules.

Services Provided

The scope of services includes the execution of surveys, the elaboration of all designs for civil works, electrification, signalling, interlocking and telecommunication, the elaboration of the tender documents for procurement of works and services and the Client’s support in the tender process to select a contractor.

Surveys: Geodetic/topographical surveys and geotechnical surveys.

Tender documents: Technical documentation based on the approved designs, as well as legal and procurement documents including the procurement plan, tender documents, prequalification documents, evaluation reports and special conditions of the FIDIC contract.

Design: Detailed design for all civil works, including railway alignment, substructure, superstructure and structures. The scope covered 34 km of single-track alignment with ballasted track, a 6 m platform, concrete sleepers and UIC60 rail, as well as secondary tracks at railway stations.

Structures: Design of 38 railway bridges and overpasses, including balanced cantilever structures, precast girders and prestressed voided slabs. The scope also included 15 tunnels, comprising 12 NATM tunnels and three cut-and-cover tunnels, as well as 19 sections with retaining walls, including reinforced concrete walls, piled diaphragm walls and MSE walls.

Additional civil works: Drainage design for culverts, ditches, stations, access roads and bridge pier protection, formation setting, disposal sites and borrow pits, cadastral surveys and expropriation documentation.

Buildings: Architectural, structural, electrical, mechanical and HVAC design for Kratovo Station, Ginovci Station, the halts at Shopsko Rudare, Rancovce and Psaca, the Kratovo substation building and tunnel service buildings.

Electrification: Design of the overhead contact line (OCL) and traction power supply (TPS).

Signalling and telecommunications: Control, management and signalling systems, telecommunications systems, cable route design for the open line, and technical specifications for interlocking and communication equipment.

Environmental mitigation: Noise and vibration protection measures.