Deadline for bids for Belgrade's railway station extended

BELGRADE, Feb 19 (Tanjug) – The deadline for the submission of bids for the first stage of works to overhaul and modernize the Belgrade Central railway station has been extended to February 28 because of a large number of companies interested in tendering, Serbian Railways General Director Dragoljub Simonovic told Tanjug on Wednesday.

“Over 30 local and foreign companies that have showed interest in taking part in the building of the station showed up for a pre-tendering meeting of potential contractors,” Simonovic said, adding that the main criterion in deciding the bids will be the best possible price.

The job, expected to cost about EUR 26 million, will be financed by a loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, and the Serbian Railways launched the invitation to tender on January 15.

Simonovic said that the initial deadline for bids had been February 24, but was extended so that none of the many interested bidders should be dismissed without a fair consideration.

The deadline was extended because of a large number of questions arriving in the tendering process and the legal obligation to answer them within three days after they have been received.

The Serbian Railways are stepping up activities to complete the construction of the Belgrade’s railway junction and create the conditions necessary to successfully realize the Belgrade on Water project, Simonovic said.

Construction Minister Velimir Ilic said that it is vital for the Belgrade on Water project to complete the construction of the new railway station first.

Transportation Minister Aleksandar Antic said that the first stage of the works might be completed in the next 24 months.

The project is...