Final Countdown Started For The Inauguration Of Kars Logistic Center

Mr. Ahmet Arslan, Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication, who often visits his hometown, Kars, made examinations on Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, Kars Logistic Center and Ankara-Kars Rapid Railway Line Project and released information to the press about these investments.

Mr. Arslan also expressed that [quote font_size=”20″]“Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line is our indispensable Project. We will complete the construction of this line, which is the missing part of Iron Silk Railway Project, at the end of this year. Considering the fact that there is approximately 31 trillion USD trade volume in this geography and 1, 5 billion people are living here, this project has a great importance. We aim to establish an intermediate corridor excluding the North corridor from Asia to Europe and South corridor running through the south of Caspian, which are the international corridors. This is the target of Republic of Turkey. We aim to complete the construction of Ankara-Kars Rapid Railway Line Project, which is carried out in order to transport the goods to Kars more rapidly, in 2023, the 100th anniversary of our Republic.”[/quote]

Mr. Arslan shared the latest information about Kars Logistic Center, which will make Kars the center of logistic and trade, and explained that all the works regarding to the Project are completed, implementation projects are built, the tender documents are in the preparation process, it is planned to be tendered in a few days and receive the bids in July.

Mr. Arslan added that [quote font_size=”20″]“We intentionally get in touch with Azerbaijan. There is a new railway corridor from Kars-Iğdır-Nakhchivan to Islamabad and the South of Central Asia and it is also an important Project for us in order to become Kars as a center. At present, we are maintaining its studies.” by focusing that Kars Logistic Center will have a great contribution for the trade of the region.[/quote]

Arslan: “We are working together with Mr. İsa Apaydın for 10 years”

Mr. İsa Apaydın accompanied Mr. Arslan in his visit to Kars when he was a member of parliament shortly before he was assigned as the minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication and Mr. Apaydın made a brief presentation regarding to the projects of TCDD carried out in Kars.

In this study visit, Mr. Arslan expressed that “Mr. Apaydın, Director General of TCDD, paid his first visit to Kars after he was assigned as Director General. Mr. Apaydın is experienced about all of three projects and he involves closely. He has announced that the implementation projects of logistic center are in final stage and it will be tendered in July.” by indicating that they have worked with Mr. İsa Apaydın, Director General of TCDD, for 10 years and he will benefit from the experience and background of Mr. Apaydın.

Mr. Ahmet Arslan: “The location of our country has a great importance for the international transportation corridors.”

Mr. Ahmet Arslan also added that [quote font_size=”20″]“ Thanks to these projects, Kars, which is located in the east of our country, gains importance with logistic center, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and Kars-Iğdır-Nakhchivan railway lines.”[/quote] by explaining that the location of our country has a great importance for international transportation corridors and many projects are realized in all transportation modes such as maritime, air and road transportation all around Turkey in order to benefit from the geopolitical location of Turkey.

500 people will be employed in logistic center

Mr. İsa Apaydın, Director General of TCDD, expressed that 500 people will be employed in the center, which is located in 300.000 m2 and has the capacity of 412.000 tonnes.

Also, Mr. Apaydın stated that there will be a connection line of 6 km from Kars railway line and the logistic center on east-west axis and, at the same time, a connection line will be constructed for Kars Cement Plant, and that Logistic Center is expediently designed for the extension together with the development of the industry of Kars.

Following the completion of Kars Logistic Center, what will our country save to Kars?

Various depots, depots having road and railway connection, loading-unloading and stocking areas for the containers, unloading areas for bulk cargo, maintenance-repair and cleaning facilities will be replaced within Kars Logistic Center. Also, fuel-oil stations, social and administrative facilities, maintenance-repair and cleaning facilities, customs service building, customer offices, staff Office and their social facilities, parking areas for trailer trucks, banks, restaurants, hotels, buffets, communication and transfer center and train-formation acceptance and delivery tracks will be reserved.

Logistic center will also contain 2 loading-unloading gradient tracks, 1 main gradient track, 1 running line, 3 loading-unloading and parking tracks, 1 automatic unloading track, 7 train-formation, shunting and delivery tracks, 1 hazardous material unloading track, 1 crane track, 10 loco-wagon-track maintenance plant tracks, 1 weighing machine track and 1 turning bridge.

There will be 2-storey service building with parking areas for Logistic Management, social facilities, traffic, other facilities, administrative buildings, maintenance-repair plant for loco and wagons in closed area of the logistic center as well as gradient and loading-unloading areas, loading-unloading gradient and main gradient, loading-unloading and stocking areas, hazardous material unloading area, automatic unloading facility area for container site, parking areas for trailer trucks, customs bonded area in the open areas of the center.