Transport and Infrastructure Minister Sorin Grindeanu told a news conference that with the signing of the contracts for the construction of lots 2 and 3 of the Buzau – Focsani section, there are nine out of a total of 13 lots of the Ploiesti-Pascani Highway that are funded through the National Resilience and Recovery Plan (PNNR), according to Agerpres.

According to him, the other four contracts have designated constructors ever since 2022, but the results of the public procurement procedures have been contested.

„With the signing of these two contracts, we have nine out of a total of 13 that are financed through the PNRR, and the other four are in various stages of awarding. And I think that means, including the appeals filed on the three Bacau-Pascani lots and, certainly, that procedure on lot 3 from Ploiesti to Buzau, it shall be completed in a fairly short period of time, so that everything that means A7 [Highway 7] from Ploiesti to Pascani can undergo works this spring, once the weather is suitable,” Grindeanu said.

The contracts for lots 2 and 3 of the Buzau-Focsani section were signed with the Spedition UMB SRL – SA&PE Construct SRL – Tehnostrade SRL Association.

The head of Transport underscored that, in case the challenges are rejected, and Spedition UMB wins the other three lots from Bacau to Pascani, the Romanian constructor will have a total of 420 kilometers of highway under construction, i.e. almost half of the network that Romania currently has.

Sorin Grindeanu drew attention to the fact that the end of 2023 is the milestone in the PNRR and gave assurances that all the infrastructure contracts included in the document will be signed.

In his turn, the constructor gave assurances that the organization will be done in such a way that all the works are to be completed on time.

According to a press release of the National Road Infrastructure Management Corporation (CNAIR) sent to AGERPRES, the road company signed on Thursday the construction works contracts for 66.9 km of the Buzau – Focsani highway with the Spedition UMB SRL – SA&PE Construct SRL – Tehnostrade SRL Association.

The contract for the construction of section 2, Vadu Pasii – Ramnicu Sarat (30.8 km), is worth 1.317 billion RON, without the VAT, and for section 3, Ramnicu Sarat – Mandresti Munteni (36.1 km), the value stands at 1.469 billion RON, without the VAT.

The financing of these objectives is ensured through the PNRR.

The execution period of the contracts is 26 months, and the guarantee period of works is 10 years.

The Buzau – Focsani highway is part of Corridor 3, Bucharest – NE Region (Moldavia) and represents an absolute priority at national level, according to the analysis of the National Transport Model, the development of road infrastructure through the construction of a highway along this corridor will lead to an increase in traffic road by generating new trips and attracting new investments in urban areas. The corridor facilitates access to the Neamt tourist area or the north of Moldavia.

Agerpres