Reconstructed border crossing Sremska Rača opened for traffic - model for other border crossings in Serbia

Border crossing Sremska Rača between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, of which reconstruction cost 180m RSD, was ceremoniously opened today (July 16, 2009).

The Customs Administration invested 160m RSD in border crossing Sremska Rača, while European delegation (former European Development Agency) provided 20m RSD.

The Customs Administration plans to invest about 10m EUR in border crossings in Serbia in the following period, while European delegation is expected to donate 1.2m EUR for facilities and 200,000 EUR for equipment - Janko Čanović, the Investment Manager in the Customs Administration, told "eKapija".

Reconstruction of border crossing Sremska Rača will improve the work of all border services, in accordance with integrated border management and the highest international standards, with the acceleration of flow of goods and passengers.

(Milan Terzić)

Project dossier and technical supervision was done by "Šidprojekt", while company "Projektomontaža" was the contractor for all works on border crossing Sremska Rača.

- We have done complete infrastructural equipping of the crossing. We built the access roads and broadened the road, so that there are now five lanes, 2 entrance and 3 exit ones. Also, our job included construction of a plateu for reception of containers, introduction of electricity, plumbing, sewerage, horisontal and vertical signalling, video surveillance, antenna pole – Milan Terzić, the Executive Director of building and hydro-building sector in "Projektomontaža", told "eKapija".

Border crossing Sremska Rača is the first crossing in Serbia where vehicles stop only once.

- At this border crossing, vehicles stop only once for both customs and police control. All border crossings that will be reconstructed in the future, such as Badovinci, Trbušnica, Mali Zvornik, Jabuka, Mekin Krš, Prohor Pčinjski, Bačka Palanka, will be similar to this border crossing. The Customs Administration decided to unify customs facilities, and all border crossings must meet European standards – said Janko Čanović.

(Janko Čanović)

Border crossing Sremska Rača was opened in 1992, and the works on reconstruction commenced in August 2008. That is one of the most used border crossings to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it is weekly crossed by about 2,500 trucks, 700 buses and up to 10,000 passenger vehicles.

Before the reconstruction, conditions at this border crossing were bad because it had only one ramp and it was situated in the village of Sremska Rača. According to the words of Čanović, the border crossing is now moved from the village in order not to disturb locals.

- Much things that can not be seen have been done. The Sava river is near and we have to made main sewer 1,000 meters long, with a pumping station, in order to prevent water from depositing at one place. We have procured so-called smart generator that can produce enough power for several hours of work – said Čanović.

(old looks of border crossing Sremska Rača)