Baku: Azerbaijan has officially approved the 'Rules for the Maintenance and Use of Public Railway Transport Infrastructure', as reported by APA. The decision was signed by Prime Minister Ali Asadov, aiming to regulate the management of the nation's railway infrastructure effectively.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the management responsibilities for maintaining and using the infrastructure will be handled by the infrastructure owner. This process will incorporate proposals from the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and the Azerbaijan Transport and Communications Holding (AZCON). To uphold operational safety and traffic efficiency, the infrastructure must remain in a technically sound state, supported by regular technical inspections and adherence to maintenance protocols. Additionally, measurement and control equipment must be fully operational at all times.

The new rules also allow for the implementation of advanced practices in infrastructure maintenance. This includes the adoption of smart transport systems, digital dispatch management, and automated monitoring tools. Financial support for infrastructure maintenance will be sourced from the economic activities of the infrastructure owner, including revenue from infrastructure use and legally permissible sources.

The rules stipulate that infrastructure of non-public railway transport connected to the public railway infrastructure should be maintained by its respective owner. The regulations ensure equal, unhindered, and non-discriminatory access to the infrastructure. Furthermore, access from non-public railway lines to public railway lines must be coordinated with the Azerbaijan Railways Closed Joint-Stock Company.

Services related to infrastructure use will be provided based on agreements between the infrastructure owner and stakeholders such as carriers, consignors, consignees, freight forwarders, and owners of non-public railway infrastructure, in line with the existing legislation.