Environmental Review Launched For Baku Metro Modernization Project

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 3. Azerbaijan Railways Joint Stock Company has prepared Initial Environmental Examination for the Baku Metro Signaling Modernization and Operations Digitalization Project for the Asian Development Bank.

The document says that the Baku Metro Signaling Modernization and Operations Digitalization Project is a strategic infrastructure modernization project aimed at improving the safety, reliability, capacity, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability of the Baku Metro system. The project will replace the existing legacy signaling and control systems with a modern communicationsbased train control system and associated digital platforms. It will also upgrade wayside and onboard equipment, improve operational control through centralized digital systems, and support better monitoring, diagnostics, maintenance planning, and passenger information.

The project will be implemented within the existing Baku Metro infrastructure, including tunnels, stations, depots, substations, technical rooms, control facilities, cable routes, and rolling stock. No new metro lines, new stations, major excavation works, or expansion outside the existing metro footprint are planned. The works will mainly involve installation of new signaling and communication equipment, replacement of outdated electrical and control components, integration of new digital systems, testing and commissioning, and eventual dismantling of obsolete legacy infrastructure.

“The project will be implemented in three main phases. The first phase will include design finalization, procurement, factory acceptance testing, installation of wayside and onboard equipment, system integration, pilot operation, and progressive rollout across the network. The second phase will consist of a stabilization and parallel operation period, during which the new system and the existing legacy system will operate simultaneously for approximately 6–12 months to verify safety, reliability, and operational readiness. The third phase will involve structured decommissioning of the existing system, including system deactivation, safety verification, pilot dismantling, full removal of obsolete equipment, material management, and final documentation,” reads the document.

The environmental impacts of the Baku Metro Signaling Modernization and Operations Digitalization Project are expected to be mainly site-specific, temporary, and manageable through the implementation of the Environmental Management Plan. The project will be carried out within the existing Baku Metro footprint, including tunnels, stations, depots, technical rooms, substations, control facilities, cable routes, and rolling stock areas. It does not include new metro lines, new stations, major excavation works, expansion into natural habitats, or works in protected areas. Therefore, the project is not expected to cause large-scale or irreversible environmental impacts.

“The main environmental risks are associated with the implementation of works in a live underground metro environment and with the removal of legacy electrical and signaling equipment. Installation works may generate localized dust, fumes, odors, heat, noise, and minor waste, especially during drilling, fixing, cable routing, cleaning of cable ducts, and works in technical rooms. Since many activities will be carried out in enclosed underground areas with limited natural ventilation, indoor air quality and worker exposure are more important issues than outdoor ambient air pollution. These impacts can be controlled through ventilation, housekeeping, dust suppression, permit-to-work procedures, and use of appropriate personal protective equipment,” the document says.

Reportedly, waste management is one of the most significant environmental issues for the project, particularly during the decommissioning phase. Potential impacts on groundwater and drainage are also relevant because groundwater inflow is an existing operational condition in parts of the Baku Metro system. Impacts on soils, geology, biodiversity, and protected areas are expected to be low. Cultural heritage impacts require specific attention, although significant impacts are not expected if mitigation measures are applied. Overall, the project is expected to have important long-term positive environmental and operational impacts.

The document says that mitigation measures for the Baku Metro Signaling Modernization and Operations Digitalization Project are based on the principle of avoiding impacts where possible, reducing risks at source, and managing residual impacts through site-specific procedures, monitoring, supervision, and corrective actions.

MENAFN03092026000187011040ID1111616571