Minister Kh.Battulga: Tavan Tolgoi – Sainshand – Choibalsan – railway feasibility study is almost completed.

In connection to the adoption of the State Policy on Railway, MP Kh.Battulga, Minister for Roads, Transport, Construction and Urban Development shares his opinion on the newly adopted policy.

Q: The Policy, presented the State Great Khural, is adopted without major changes or amendments. Can you share some of your opinions on the policy documents?

Minister Kh.Battulga: The policy, which presented by the Government to the State Great Khural, is directed to establish long lasting and effective main network of railway in Mongolia. In other word, this policy is against to cut the border line and export our mineral directly. It will surely create many workplaces in Mongolia and bring processing factory. We will not sell our coal, but we will produce coking coal instead. Mongolia will export its mineral product to South Korea, Japan, some North East Asian countries where in short of mineral. We are developing this railway concept in order to compete with Australian coal at the Korean ports or Vladivostok, a Russian port.

Q: Upon the adoption of the policy, MPs were awarded with some souvenirs and gifts. Was the Government confident with the approval of the policy?

Minister Kh.Battulga: Actually, it should be adopted earlier this year. It took long time of discussion and debating. However, I think now it reflected comments and opinions of parties in it and presented to the State Great Khural. This resolution is itself historical event. The Mongolian railway was out dated and old. Railway of 1949 is 50/50 property of Mongolia and Russian Federation. But this new railway has different structure. Its main structure and road will be owned by the state and many countries can involve in the construction. But its carriages and locomotives can be owned by the public or private companies. Therefore, MPs were awarded with small souvenir of railroad for the approving such an important document. In 1949,x decision was made in Moscow, but now decision is made in Ulaanbaatar, this is why; it is historical event for the Mongolian history.

Q: Policy is clear now. From where will you start?

Minister Kh.Battulga: Now we should start building railroad through raising fund. According to the policy, 1100 km long Tavan Tolgoi – Sainshand – Choibalsan railroad is planned.

Q: When?

Minister Kh.Battulga: The stakeholders’ selection procedure will start in this year. Pre-fesibility study is completed and planned to consider the feasibility study for 3-5 months. According to our calculation, in gobi region railroad building work will be easier. But in gobi region, railroad dam building needs extra maintenance. We started water research work in order to confirm the findings made in 1978-1980.

Q: When we will see the real outcome of this work?

Minister Kh.Battulga: Construction and creation work might take 2 two years. We will connect railroads in every 100 kms. If you can recall, last year we spent three years in building 108 km railroad.

Q: Did any countries or companies make proposal to take part in the project?

Minister Kh.Battulga: As for now, South Korea, China, Russia and Mongolian parties expressed their interest in the project.

Q: How to solve the issue of gauge which requires common consent?

Minister Kh.Battulga: It hasn’t strictly stated that the wide gauge railroad in the first phase and narrow in the second. If the deposit locates 40-50 kms from the border, it will be decided by the National Security Council, the Government and the State Great Khural.