YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS. According to the assessment of the expert group the maximum annual turnover of the Iran-Armenia railway will reach 15-18 million tons. The General Director of the South Caucasus Railway CJSC Viktor Rebets stated this at the course of the press conference held on December 19.

As reports “Armenpress” among other things the General Director of the South Caucasus Railway CJSC Viktor Rebets underscored: “In case of favorable development of circumstances the construction of the Iran-Armenia railway will be launched not sooner than in the mid 2015.”

The construction of the Armenia-Iran railway is among the priorities of the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

In February 1899 the first train, having overcome 180 km site, arrived in Alexanderpol (nowadays Gyumri) from Tiflis. Since then for Armenia not having a direct exit to the sea and located in mountains 1800 metres high above the sea level, the railway transportation has an important strategic value in maintenance with the reliable transport communication promoting economic and social development of the Republic.

Joint-Stock Company "SCR" is 100 % Open Society affiliated company of Public Corporation "Russian railways". On February, 13th, 2008 in Yerevan between Open Society Republic of Armenia signed the Concession contract on transfer of state Joint-Stock Company "Armenian railway" to Joint-Stock Company "SCR" management. According to the contract, the term of concession management is 30 years with the right of prolongation to 10 years after the first twenty years of work by a mutual consent of the parties. According to conditions of the tender employees of the railway of Armenia (4300 persons), except for the persons who have reached a pension age, are translated into the staff of Joint-Stock Company "SCR" with increase of wages to 20 %. Joint-Stock Company "SCR" problems include modernisation of an infrastructure of railway RA, development of cooperation with the adjacent with Armenia states, development of the mid-republican and international passenger and cargo traffic. The size of the investments that are carried out by the Company makes $ 572 million, out of which $ 220 million is planned to invest within the first 5 years.

The activity of Joint-Stock Company "SCR" began on June, 1st, 2008.

Joint-Stock Company mission is development as the national transport company dynamically developing efficiency and quality of services by means of certain strategic tasks.