Správa železniční dopravní cesty (SŽDC) has launched a tender for construction of the fourth railway corridor connecting Veselí nad Lužnicí and Horusice in South Bohemia. The CZK 1.7bn job includes an important transport hub in Veselí nad Lužnicí. The order is part of a series of tenders SŽDC launched over the summer, including the reconstruction of railway stations in Olomouc (CZK 2.5bn) and Břeclav (CZK 1bn) and the corridor from Rokycany to Pilsen worth CZK 7.5bn. This makes SŽDC the most active investor in the construction industry, but still it might not be able to tap all the money available for railway infrastructure from EU funds.
The director of the national fund of transport infrastructure, Tomáš Čoček, was quoted by the server e15 as saying that bids are much lower from construction companies than SŽDC expected, meaning there will be a lack of prepared projects. Metrostav has allegedly offered to build the Rokycany corridor for CZK 4bn, which is half the expected price while Skanska demanded CZK 600m less for the reconstruction of the Pilsen railway station. SŽDC spokesperson Pavel Halla says another large order is in the works and a tender should be launched before the end of the year.
