By KYIV. Sept 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) – JSC Ukrzaliznytsia will soon hold a tender to procure 44 new compartment passenger cars for UAH 1.9 billion with delivery at the end of 2024-beginning of 2025, Board Chairman of Ukrzaliznytsia Yevhen Liaschenko said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
He said that in 2024, the process of purchasing another 100 cars will begin using state budget funds of about UAH 5 billion.
“This year, with the support of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, for which we are very grateful, we have received funds for which we plan to purchase 44 new compartment passenger cars. We will announce a tender shortly. We hope that next year [2024], we will be able to begin the process of purchasing another 100 new cars through budget support,” Liaschenko said
He said that UAH 5 billion is provided for the purchase of 100 cars and this figure is included in the draft financial plan 2024. UAH 1.9 billion is provided for the purchase of 44 cars if the tender takes place. The expected delivery time for these cars is late 2024-early 2025.
The tender for the purchase of 44 cars will be announced “in a couple of weeks.” It is expected that the Kriukov Car Building Works (KCBW), with which Ukrzaliznytsia has fully paid off its debts, and other large machine-building companies, will enter it.
“Thanks to the government support, the terms of the tender were adjusted. The level of advance payment was increased, which was critically important for manufacturers. Therefore, I think KCBW will succeed. For them, this was one of the critical issues,” the head of Ukrzaliznytsia said.
“It is very important for us to understand the state’s position on this issue, since there is a huge demand from passengers for improving the service in cars. All new cars, including cars after major overhauls, are perceived very positively,” the head of Ukrzaliznytsia said.
According to him, all new cars will be equipped with barrier-free standards: the compartments and toilets in them are adapted for people with disabilities, which meets the goals of the barrier-free program implemented with the support of First Lady Olena Zelenska.
Liaschenko said that Ukrzaliznytsia is counting on funding from the state budget, since it is impossible to finance such a program through loans amid unprofitable passenger transportation.
Ukrzaliznytsia continues modernizing second-class cars at its factories so that all categories of the population receive decent service, the head of the company said.
