Green permit for high-speed railway from Paracin to Trupale requested – Relocation and removal of stations, construction of tunnels, new bridges and crossings

The Serbian Railway Infrastructure company has submitted a request to the Ministry of Environmental Protection to determine the scope and content of the environmental impact assessment study for the project of phase-based construction and reconstruction of the railway Belgrade Center - Intersection “G” - Rakovica - Mladenovac - Lapovo - Nis - Presevo - State Border (Tabanovci). The request specifically refers to subsection 3 Paracin - Trupale, and within it the sections Paracin - Stalac and Djunis - Trupale.

The Belgrade - Nis railway corridor rehabilitation project, as they remind, envisages the modernization and improvement of the existing, predominantly double-track railway 230 km long between Belgrade and Nis. The goal of the corridor project is to achieve speeds of up to 200 km/h and improve the quality and efficiency of passenger and freight rail transport services, the request states.

Section 3 of the Belgrade – Nis railway line is divided into three additional subsections:

− Paracin – Stalac - total projected length of the section – 20.4 km, double-track mode will be maintained

− Stalac – Djunis (excluded, because it is being developed separately and is in a more advanced stage of preparation – single-track)

− Djunis – Trupale – total projected length is 37.7 km, double-track mode will be maintained.

The subsection of the route Paracin – Stalac extends from km 153+380 to km 174+170.79, with a total length of 20.8 km. The subsection starts immediately before the entrance switch at Paracin station and ends in front of Stalac station. The Djunis – Nis (Trupale) section extends from km 191+937.96 to km 229+642 with a length of 37.7 km. This section is positioned in the South Morava valley on its left side up to the town of Supovac, after which it crosses to the right bank of the river and continues the route to Trupale.

The Paracin–Stalac subsection passes through two municipalities - Paracin and Cicevac. The entire subsection mainly follows the existing railway line, except for short deviations necessary to improve the radius of curves, which are located at the exit from the settlement of Striza and at the exit from the village of Cicevac. The Djunis–Trupale (Nis) subsection passes through three municipalities - Krusevac, Aleksinac and Nis. The railway route passes through agricultural areas, except in urban areas and villages.

Stations and stops

A total of 11 stations and stops will be removed, seven stations will be retained, and two stations will be newly built.

Subsection Paracin – Stalac

1. Paracin Station 155+108 Stop – to remain
2. Sikirica–Ratari Station 163+462 Stop – new stop
3. Drenovac 166+700 Stop – to be removed
4. Cicevac Station 171+415 Stop – to remain
5. Lucina 173+700 Stop – to be removed

Subsection Djunis – Trupale

1. Vitkovac stop 194+118 Stop – to be removed
2. Donji Ljubes stop 196+155 Stop – to be removed
3. Gornji Ljubes stop 198+453 Stop – to be removed
4. Korman stop 200+807 Station – to remain
5. Trnjane stop 203+100 Stop – to be removed
6. Adrovac stop 205+474 Station – to remain
7. Aleksinac stop 209+255 Station – to remain
8. Nozrina stop 212+480 Stop – to be removed
9. Luzane stop 213+794 Station – to remain
10. Tesica stop 216+885 Stop – new station
11. Grejac station 219+650 Stop – to be removed
12. Supovac Bridge stop 223+100 Stop – to be removed
13. Mezgraja stop 223+994 Stop – to be removed
14. Vrtiste stop 227+075 Stop – to be removed
15. Trupale stop 228+934 Stop – to remain

Bridges and viaducts

All the bridges on the project route will be new, built after the demolition of the existing bridges. A total of twelve bridges and two viaducts will be built within both subsections. Five bridges will be newly built within the Paracin–Stalac subsection, and seven bridges and two viaducts within the Djunis–Trupale subsection.

Level crossings, underpasses and overpasses

In order to achieve a higher level of safety (as many existing level crossings are unmanned, unmarked, or have no signalization or traffic signs), it is planned to remove all 48 existing level crossings and replace them with 30 new grade-separated crossings (i.e. crossings that are not at the same level as the railway - including overpasses and underpasses), which may not be located in the same locations as the removed crossings.

It is planned to remove 21 existing road-rail crossings and replace them with 30 grade-separated crossings. 12 grade-separated crossings will be newly constructed within the Paracin–Stalac subsection, and 18 will be constructed within the Djunis–Trupale subsection.

Culverts

There are 42 existing culverts in the area covered by the project. Some of them will be adapted as part of the project to also serve as wildlife crossings. For now, the construction of 35 culverts along the route is planned. However, during the further development of the technical documentation, the construction of two more culverts will be planned (stations: about 225+170 km and 225+525 km). One tunnel will be built within the Djunis–Trupale subsection. The Djunis tunnel will be newly designed. The entrance portal will be located at km 192+274, and the exit portal at km 192+854, i.e. 580 meters long. The planned speed on this part of the route is 160 km/h.

Route overview

The Paracin–Stalac section of the route is designed as a double-track main line for two-way traffic. The maximum speed for this section is 200 km/h. The two existing stations (Paracin and Cicevac) are to be retained, but reconstructed and modernized in accordance with the needs of passenger and freight traffic on the double-track line and the local needs of the settlements in which they are located.

The Paracin station will retain the status of an intermediate station on the double-track main line Belgrade–Nis, as well as the status of a junction station for the single-track main line Intersection Cuprija–Cuprija–Paracin and the single-track industrial line Paracin–Stari Popovac. In addition, the tracks intended for the Electrical Engineering Service are retained, but due to space constraints, they are moved to the opposite side of the station. The reconstructed station will be designed with 7 main and 3 auxiliary tracks (which will serve as temporary stopping places for trains in case all other tracks are occupied), as well as 2 service tracks (for access to service areas). The station is designed with two platforms, each 220 m long. The first platform is the main station platform located next to the station building, while the second island platform is located between tracks 6 and 7. The platforms are interconnected by an underpass and equipped in accordance with the relevant technical specifications for interoperability (INF TSI and PRM TSI).

Also, the existing Sikirica – Ratare stop is to be retained, but upgraded into a station in order to accommodate the expected additional rail traffic. The station is designed with 4 main tracks and 2 guard rails.

The Cicevac station will be designed with 5 main tracks, 2 guard rails and 3 guard rails.
The station is designed with two platforms, each 220 meters long.

Two existing stops, Drenovac and Lucine, will be closed due to the expected low number of passengers using them.

On the Paracin - Stalac section, a retaining wall has been designed, next to the loading and unloading ramp at the Paracin station, as well as 17 culvert structures and under the railway line, for the purpose of conducting watercourses and draining the railway.

The Djunis - Trupale railway subsection is designed as a double-track main line for two-way traffic. The maximum speed for this section is 200 km/h.

The existing stations Korman, Adrovac, Aleksinac, Luzane and Trupale will be retained, but reconstructed and modernized in accordance with the needs of passenger and freight traffic on the double-track line and the local needs of the settlements in which they are located.

The new Korman office is being moved to a new location. The entire station complex is being moved closer to Nis. The new Aleksinac office is also being moved closer to Nis, and the new Luzane office is planned for a different location compared to the existing one, across from the old location and moved towards Nis. The choice of location is conditioned by better technical and technological conditions and easier vehicle access. The new location includes cadastral plots in private, state and municipal ownership, the request states.

According to the project, the Trupale station retains its role as a border station within the Nis railway junction, where the tracks branch off to the Crveni Krst and Nis marshalling stations. The main requirements for the station relate to the management of railway traffic, the boarding and disembarking of passengers within local traffic, as well as the handling of wagon shipments on the shunting track. The planned track capacities are: two main through tracks (tracks 3 and 4), two overtaking tracks (tracks 2 and 5), three receiving and dispatching tracks (tracks 1, 6 and 7), a shunting track with a long (military) ramp 400 m long, which is used for loading and unloading goods, and two tracks that continue from tracks 1 and 2, intended for forming a crossing of railway lines. The new Trupale service point is planned closer to Belgrade than the existing location.

The existing Tesica stop will be completely modernized and reconstructed into a station. The existing stops Vitkovac, Donji Ljubes, Gornji Ljubes, Trnjane, Norzina, Supovac Bridge, Mezgraja and Vrtiste will be removed due to the expected low number of passengers or due to the proximity of larger stations. The existing Grejac station will also be removed and replaced by the new Tesica station.

The planned design speed for trains is up to 120 km/h.

– In the Adrovac station area, the geometric elements of the route have been designed for a speed of 160 km/h. The situational elements of the railway route in the Aleksinac station area have been designed for a speed of 120 km/h, because the correction of the route would result in the relocation of the station to a much greater distance from the existing one, with an irrational increase in investment compared to the benefit brought by the increase in speed in that area – the documentation specifies.

The project envisages that during the execution of the works, railway traffic will be carried out on a single track, with the coordination of all construction, technical and installation works, with increased safety measures and the engagement of additional personnel.

D. A.

Infrastruktura Železnice Srbije Beograd

Ministarstvo zaštite životne sredine Republike Srbije

Infrastruktura železnice Srbije

Serbian Railways Infrastructure

Ministry of Environmental Protection

request to determine the scope and content of the environmental impact assessment study for the project of the construction of the Paracin Trupale high speed railway