Budimir: Tinja has washed away up to 50 metres of railway in several places!

The Railways of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been forced to suspend rail traffic, and the interruption has been ongoing for two days, which will cause material damage to this company, as well as to companies engaged in freight transport, reports the Patria news agency.

Vlado Budimir, executive director of railway infrastructure at the Railways of the FBiH, has been on the ground since yesterday, and says the damage is extensive.

- We are taking all possible measures to restore traffic on the sections that are interrupted. On the section from Mramor to Brčko, where I am currently located, the situation is a bit more difficult, so we do not know when we will be able to make that part operational - Budimir told NAP.

He explains that all traffic from Zenica to Maglaj, i.e. to Doboj, both passenger and freight, as well as on the Tuzla-Brčko railway from Mramor to Brčko, is completely suspended.

- The railway is damaged in seven or eight places. New critical spots appeared this morning. For the most part, the railway embankment has been devastated due to flash floods. The Tinja River caused such havoc that in several places it washed away up to fifty metres of the complete railway, leaving only the rails and traces. This is mostly a consequence of increased water flow - added Budimir.

Incidentally, the Railways of the FBiH issued a statement warning the population living along the Zenica - Maglaj railway line that the contact network on the left and right tracks is under a voltage of 25,000 volts, and therefore they must be very careful when repairing their property so as not to endanger their lives.

- A warning was issued because, for the most part, the railway and the main road run parallel, and yesterday when we travelled from Zenica towards Zavidovići, we saw that repair work was being carried out on a section of the main road, where excavators are working near the contact network, which could lead to an accident. We issued the warning as a precaution. The voltage is currently switched off, but when the railway is put back into operation, it will be under voltage again, and that is the reason for our warning, just so that people are aware and careful, and so that they notify us of any works - added Budimir.