The first trains in test mode will start moving on two sections of the eastern branch of the BAM before the end of this year, said Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian Federation Army General Dmitry Bulgakov.
According to him, all the preparatory work has been completed. The main task at the moment is to open the workers’ movement in two sections. It was also noted that half of the 340-kilometer eastern branch of the BAM will be opened for train traffic in 2022. Currently, the military is working on the entire length of the eastern branch.
Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu launched the reconstruction of BAM. During the solemn ceremony of laying a memorial stone dedicated to the start of work, the Minister noted the great importance of this segment of the BAM for the country’s economy: thanks to the highway, the transport capabilities of Eastern Siberia will be increased, and the volume of transit traffic will increase.