Delegation of Stroytransgaz Group and GORKA Group Participates in the 7th International Forum “INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION”
17 September 2021
On September 13–15, a delegation of Stroytransgaz Group and GORKA Group actively participated in the 7th International Forum “INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION” which was held in Sochi. The forum was organised by Russian Highways State Company in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation, Federal Road Agency, Administration of the city of Sochi, and Skolkovo Innovation Centre.
The event covered two topics essential for the road industry: innovation in road construction and modern intelligent transport systems. Russian Highways (Avtodor) State Company arranged an effective platform for discussions, presentation of new projects and technologies, formal communication and networking, where all key issues were addressed. Several thematic sessions and roundtable discussions took place as part of the business program of the forum. The solutions devised in the course of the discussions will form the basis for further changes in the science-and-technology policy of the industry, digitalisation, development of infrastructure and automobile tourism.
Within the discussion platform “M-12 ‘Moscow–Kazan–Yekaterinburg’: Territory of the Present, Not the Future”, the forum participants discussed a number of sensitive and topical issues – from the multiplier effects of investment project implementation to the development of new road infrastructure for the arrangement of an unmanned logistics corridor, as well as pricing issues and labour force for high-quality and timely fulfilment of obligations in respect of the facilities. Special attention was paid to regional development which is to include the Moscow–Kazan–Yekaterinburg highway under construction.
The participants have concurred in the opinion that reduction of the construction period while maintaining the high level of traffic safety remains the key factor for all the creators of the “ideal road”.
According to Marat Khusnullin, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, the most challenging task consists in the construction of 810 km of the M-12 Kazan–Moscow highway. ‘The President has instructed that it be extended to Yekaterinburg and farther – to Chelyabinsk,’ he reminded. 10,000 people and 1,000 pieces of equipment are currently engaged in the construction of the highway; additional funding in the amount of RUB 200 billion has been allocated for the works in 2021.
According to Vyacheslav Petushenko, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Highways State Company, the risks related to execution of the project include ‘increase in prices and release after review‘, as well as shortage of labour force.
‘We have a total of approximately 1.6 million kilometres of roads in our country. It is necessary to ensure that 85% of federal roads be compliant with the standards by 2024,’ Marat Khusnullin said. According to him, application of the advance financing practice has been agreed upon with the Government and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. ‘This means that we have financial limits for 2022–2023. Some of the contractors are ready to complete works within a shorter period of time. We have idle balances which we grant to these contractors. We have already allocated RUB 200 billion this year, using this system. This has never happened before,’ the Deputy Prime Minister explained. Such activities play an essential role in the development of construction.
Igor Levitin, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation, noted that China currently has 161,000 km of first-class toll roads, the USA – 95,000 km, Russia – 7,000 km. According to him, this is, among other things, due to the fact that ‘as of now, the private sector has lost its interest in road construction‘. It was this issue that the Aide to the President proposed to consider during discussion in the first place. ‘It is necessary that we make the first-class-road funding attractive for private investments,’ he claimed.
Kirill Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, noted that ‘the near future can hardly be imagined without autonomous vehicles for all modes of transport‘. He outlined the prospects of creating the Unified Biometric System which is currently being developed by the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media and Rostelecom. ‘Your face will become your boarding pass for a plane, your means of payment, and means of your identification at all modes of transport,’ he said.
Stroytransgaz Group participates in the execution of the federal project “Europe–Western China” as a contractor for engineering and construction of stage I of the Moscow–Nizhny Novgorod–Kazan highway. This project is special for Stroytransgaz and GORKA Group; it has the length of 80 km and runs through the territory of the Moscow and Vladimir Regions. At the moment, active preparation of the ground, State Expert Review of the designs of all the construction stages, and work on the engineering structures within the highway are underway.
M-12 will give momentum to the development of eight municipal districts and two urban districts in the south of the region. In close proximity thereto, the following is located: the Arzamas–Diveyevo–Sarov cluster with the Holy Trinity-Saint Seraphim-Diveyevo (Svyato-Troitsky Serafimo-Diveyevsky) Convent – a Russian pilgrimage centre, Bolsheboldinsky District with Pushkin’s family estate. All the regions and countries which the highway will run through will see development, and the project will bring tremendous economic benefit.