Information days on Rail Baltica main line construction close amid strong interest of locals

On December 11–13 Iecava Culture House hosted Information days on Rail Baltica main line construction, which were attended by nearly 200 people. The event marked the kick-off for the active phase of the Rail Baltica main line construction works in Bauska region near Iecava. Local residents had an opportunity to ask questions to the Rail Baltica project team and get acquainted with information materials.

“The most time-consuming stage of the works has been completed in cooperation with the main contractor and our partners – utility holders, state and municipal authorities, and all the necessary preliminary works have been carried out so that we can finally “stick the shovel into the ground” and start active construction works on the Rail Baltica main line,” says Ēriks Diļevs, Chairman of the Board at Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas.

“The first nine kilometres of the main line have been deforested as well as 16 hectares in the vicinity of Iecava, where an infrastructure maintenance point will be located and used as a construction base during the building of the line. The building of the electricity connection has started, and the construction commencement act has been signed for the first building permit related to the main line. A majority of the real estate in the priority southern section has already been alienated and 98% of the real estate necessary for the construction of the route will be alienated by the end of this year in the main line section up to the Lithuanian border. This means that next year we will see real dynamics in the construction of the route as large-scale construction works will be underway and Latvia will be able to show significant progress in the implementation of Rail Baltica in its territory,” says Ē. Diļevs.

On December 11 Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas, the implementer of Rail Baltica in Latvia, together with the Ministry of Transport, main line builder ERB Rail, Iecava Union Authority and Bauska Municipal Council informed the cooperation organisations about the works planned in Iecava in 2024 and 2025, as well as introduced the main line construction team. On Thursday, December 12, and Friday, December 13, the Rail Baltica project team met with residents of the region at Iecava Culture House. The interest in the start of the main line construction was high, also among the region’s entrepreneurs and farmers.

The meeting with the cooperation organisations was opened by Chairman of Bauska Municipality Council Aivars Okmanis, who reminded that a year and a half ago the project presentation events had already been held in Bauska and Iecava, and now the construction of the first stage of the main line would start with the installation of the infrastructure maintenance point in Iecava. Aivars Mačeks, Vice-Chairman of the Bauska Regional Council, reminded that the project negotiations started back in 2011 and the environmental impact discussion began in 2016, but now the dream of Rail Baltica is starting to come true.

Residents of Iecava and Bauska asked whether the southern section of the main line in Bauska Municipality would include crossings, animal paths, whether there would be a passenger station in Iecava and what the connection to the existing railway line would be. There were also questions about the use of roads during construction works and the supply of materials. Many visitors wanted to see on a map where the main line will be located and how it will affect their daily routine.

Kristīne Malnača, Deputy State Secretary for Rail Baltica at the Ministry of Transport, informed that Iecava station is still in the project, but the Ministry has to submit a precise plan of regional passenger stations to the government.

Andy Swift, Project Management Director of the international main contractor ERB Rail, explained that the joint venture was established by three internationally experienced infrastructure construction companies – Eiffage Génie Civil SAS (France), Budimex S.A. (Poland) and Rizzani de Eccher S.p.A (Italy), and local subcontractors will play a key role in the project.

The construction of the main line will start with the southern section Misa–Lithuanian border and the installation of a temporary regional office near the national road V9 Iecava–Baldone–Daugmale. The construction of the site base is due to start in March. It will be built as an embankment to reach approximately the same height as the planned Rail Baltica main route. The works will include the construction of culverts, soil replacement and the creation of a site embankment in the area of nearly 16.5 ha.

Source: Eiropas dzelzceļa līnijas, 18th of December, 2024. https://edzl.lv/jaunumi/zinas/ar-lielu-iedzivotaju-interesi-noslegusas-rail-baltica-pamattrases-buvdarbiem-veltitas-informativas-dienas