A complaint has been filed in the competition of the state-owned company Latvijas dzelzceļš (LDz / Latvian Railways) for the modernization of the railway infrastructure on the Torņakalns–Imanta section, representatives of LDz told the LETA agency.
This section is part of the project to connect Riga Central Station with Riga Airport using the existing track gauge.
The complaint in the tender was submitted by a consortium of suppliers: LLC RP Infra, Azerbaijan-registered Atef group of companies, and LLC CHR Design Solutions.
The State Procurement Monitoring Bureau (IUB) will review the complaint on Wednesday, October 15, at 11:00.
As previously reported, the procurement involves the construction of a new contact network, power supply system, and signaling subsystem, as well as the construction of raised platforms at the Torņakalns, Zasulauks, and “Depo” stations. Passenger infrastructure will also be upgraded at the Imanta station. Depending on the availability of funding, the construction of a new Āgenskalns station is planned.
LDz explains that the procurement is announced within the framework of two projects aimed at promoting population mobility. These projects are a continuation of the modernization of the electrified railway line initiated by LDz — both in terms of updating the contact network and in terms of equipping passenger platforms, ensuring their accessibility.
After the projects are implemented, residents of Latvia's regions, as well as those from Lithuania and Estonia, will be able to reach Riga Airport by train with one transfer.
Funding for both projects is provided under the EU Cohesion Policy Program for 2021–2027.
As previously reported, on December 10, 2024, the Latvian government conceptually agreed that the priority tasks of the first phase of the Rail Baltica project will be to create a cross-border connection from Lithuania to the border with Estonia (depending on the attraction of funding), as well as to complete construction work at the Rail Baltica passenger station at Riga Airport and at the southern part of Riga Central Station, to ensure their functionality within the existing railway infrastructure, as well as a transfer hub in Salaspils (Daugavkrasti) between Rail Baltica and the existing 1520 mm gauge network.
According to the Baltic States joint venture RB Rail, the costs for the first phase of the Rail Baltica project in the Baltic States could reach up to 14.3 billion euros, of which 5.5 billion euros is in Latvia. However, due to the optimization of technical solutions, savings of up to 500 million euros are possible, as well as other potential cost reductions.
The total cost of the project, according to the cost-benefit analysis, could reach 23.8 billion euros. In the previous analysis in 2017, the project cost was estimated at 5.8 billion euros.
The Rail Baltica project involves the construction of a European gauge railway line (1435 mm) from Tallinn to the Lithuanian border with Poland, with the aim of connecting the Baltic States to the rest of Europe. The total length of the new line in the Baltic States will be 870 km, with a maximum train speed of up to 240 km/h.
The turnover of the LDz group last year, according to preliminary data, amounted to 233.738 million euros, which is 11.3% less than in 2023. The group's losses increased 2.4 times to 7.794 million euros.
LDz is the manager of public railway infrastructure and the parent company of the LDz group.
