Partial Structural Assessment Contract Awarded for the Novi Sad Railway Station – No Bids for Wings B and C

(Photo: Dejan Aleksić)

It remains unclear whether the Novi Sad railway station building will be fully or partially demolished, or potentially restored for future use, following the tragic incident last November in which 16 people lost their lives when part of the station’s structure collapsed. Although the launch of the high-speed rail line between Novi Sad and Subotica is expected soon, it is still uncertain how and where passengers will board and disembark in Novi Sad. What is confirmed, however, is that the latest tender for a structural assessment report—initiated by Serbian Railways Infrastructure (IZS)—was only partially successful.

Specifically, the call for bids was divided into two lots. Only one bid was submitted—for Lot 1, which covers structural assessments of Wings A and D of the station building. No bids were submitted for Lot 2, which pertains to Wings B and C.

The sole bid for Lot 1 came from a consortium consisting of Insitut za ispitivanje procenu stanja i sanaciju konstrukcija (the Institute for Structural Assessment and Rehabilitation) from Novi Sad, Axis Gradjevinski Biro from Sremska Kamenica, and Geomehanika from Belgrade. The contract was awarded to them at a value of RSD 17.5 million (excluding VAT). The lead firm, according to public records, was established three years ago.

The estimated contract value was RSD 18 million for Lot 1 and RSD 12 million for Lot 2 (excluding VAT).

This tender follows a failed previous attempt in early July, when no bids were received. Earlier in the year, IZS awarded a no-bid negotiated contract for the same assessment to the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad and the Institute for Materials Testing in Belgrade, citing "exceptional urgency." However, that contract was terminated on May 17 after the service providers were denied access to the site within the agreed timeframe, according to Forbes Serbia.

The current state and future use of the Novi Sad railway station remain uncertain. The station has been out of use since the tragic canopy collapse over eight months ago, with Petrovaradin serving as a temporary station.

Two months ago, Minister of Construction Aleksandra Sofronijevic stated that the building—constructed in 1964—may be demolished, reconstructed, or partially repurposed. She recently noted that use of the platforms in Novi Sad could begin once Serbia and Hungary finalize the launch of high-speed rail operations.

"The final decision will depend on expert assessments of the building’s condition," Sofronijevic said. "If part of the structure—specifically the platform area and the underpass—is deemed completely safe, it may be used as a temporary stop once the cross-border rail is operational."

For now, however, decisions are pending, and only part of the building is currently undergoing structural assessment, leaving the future of the entire station unresolved.

D.A.