Baikal-Amur Mainline: 50th Anniversary of Initial Construction

The green line above marks the BAM and what’s known as the Eastern Polygon.

Several grand events mark the 50th anniversary of the start of the BAM’s construction, a project that utilized labor from all over the Soviet Union as was the last major national infrastructure project. These events reviewed much of that era’s history and thus the context within which the project was built and completed. As readers have read in past articles, Russia is busy expanding its rail network into Arctic spaces that have been dreamt of for decades, while also modifying the BAM and TSR.

The first event was the meeting with construction veterans and employees of the Baikal-Amur Mainline attended by Presidents Putin and Aliyev. The number of older representatives at the meeting was conspicuous, while the women as usual standout:

The Kremlin’s intro:

The full-scale construction of the Baikal-Amur Railway started in April 1974, and more than two million people took part in it. The total length of the highway is 4,300 kilometers, and it crosses three time zones and six regions of Russia: Irkutsk, Chita, and Amur regions, Buryatia, Yakutia, and Khabarovsk Krai.

What’s presented are the speeches by Putin and Aliyev which combined lasted about 45 minutes:

Vladimir Putin: Dear Ilham Heydarovich, Dear friends!

These days, half a century ago, the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline was launched. This is one of the largest railway arteries in the world, a real road of the future. And of course, for many of those who did this, implemented this project - then they said and now it can be confirmed-a symbol of the dreams and romantic aspirations of an entire generation.

BAM is also the embodiment of the colossal work and courage of two million very young people from all over the Soviet Union. They have implemented in every sense a unique project that has never been equaled in the history of the world.

Today we see that BAM largely determines global logistics for the entire XXI century. Our country has received enormous opportunities for the development and improvement of Siberia, the Far East, and the expansion of cargo transportation to the Pacific Ocean. We can directly say that the turn to the East at the current stage was made possible precisely thanks to the Baikal-Amur Mainline.

I would like to congratulate the participants of our meeting on the start of construction of the BAM. And here, first of all, I would like to mention veterans of the railway industry, the construction industry, and the railway troops. I would like to congratulate your relatives, friends, colleagues and colleagues who shared your hardships and victories together, and you had everything – I am now addressing the veterans – everything, including the songs around the campfires, but the most important thing is hard, hard work.

A low bow to all those who worked at BAM and near you, for the labor feat that you all accomplished, for the fact that in difficult times, in the 90s of the last century, you remained true to your life's work, preserved the work collectives, and ensured reliable operation of BAM.

I would like to express my warmest words to all those who live and work at BAM today, continue the glorious traditions of pioneers, and are engaged in the reconstruction, development and maintenance of this most important railway.

As a token of gratitude and appreciation for their valiant work, as you know, a decree was signed on awarding veterans and employees of the construction and railway industry with high state awards.

I am sincerely glad to personally congratulate President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the half-century anniversary of the beginning of the construction of the BAM. His father, as all the builders of BAM are well aware, Heydar Aliyev, played a special, huge role in the history of BAM. As First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Heydar Aliyev oversaw the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline and did everything possible to make this complex project possible.

This was helped by a huge amount of knowledge and experience, managerial talent, the ability to solve the most complex problems and, of course, special personal qualities, first of all, a caring, respectful attitude to the people with whom he worked and solved these colossal tasks. He visited BAM facilities himself, talked with construction workers and residents of new towns and cities. It was possible to approach him, as they say, easily, tell about their problems, discuss current issues.

I know that our meeting is also attended by those who worked with Heydar Aliyev. I would like to ask you to share your memories and tell us about the role of Heydar Aliyev in your life.

I would like to add that with the support of Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijani designers and builders built two settlements with railway station complexes – Ulkan and Angoya-during the construction of the BAM, and now they are taking part in the reconstruction and modernization of sections of the Baikal-Amur Mainline in the Khabarovsk Territory and Yakutia.

Another area of Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation corresponds to the scale and historical significance of BAM today. We are talking about the development of the North – South transport corridor. In fact, it connects the Northern Sea Route with the Persian Gulf, or, so to speak, it can and will have to connect.

Just like the BAM, which became a truly all – Union construction site and was intended to serve the interests of all the republics of the Union, the North-South transport corridor should become an example of the broadest international cooperation. We are talking about the formation of new logistics routes for the accelerated economic and social development of the countries of Eurasia and the global South.

I would like to emphasize once again: we invite all interested states to participate in this project, and we hope that it will definitely draw on the best, time – tested traditions of friendship and mutual assistance of BAM builders-people of various nationalities united by a common goal.

For our part, we are ready to offer our partners access to the fast-growing markets of the Asia-Pacific region. To do this, we intend to use advanced technologies to implement plans for accelerated modernization of the BAM and Trans-Siberian Railway, as well as the development of the entire Eastern Railway polygon.

The implementation of these plans is also of great importance for strengthening the connectivity of our country, for our political and economic sovereignty. It is no coincidence that the ideas of developing communication routes to the eastern borders of Russia were promoted by prominent politicians and public figures at the turn of the XIX and XX centuries.

So, in 1908, Pyotr Stolypin, at a meeting of the State Council, which at that time actually played the role of the upper house of parliament, defended the project for the construction of the Amur Railway, thanks to which the Trans-Siberian Railway completely passed through the territory of our country.

I am absolutely sure that new big tasks for the development of the Eastern training ground are within the power of real fighters – such as the Bamovtsy. This is a special community of people with a strong character who are able to achieve their goals.

I am sincerely glad that the Bam community has been established. It unites, as they say, all those involved in BAM: veterans, specialists from Russia, former Soviet republics and other states. It is important that you revive and strengthen the friendship of Bam residents, tell young people about the fate of people, about the glorious history of this huge project, and, of course, provide assistance to veterans.

To support the Bam residents, we need not only public efforts, of course, but also concrete steps on the part of the state. BAM builders often lived in very harsh conditions – in temporary shelters and barracks. Now, at the present stage, of course, this should not be the case.

I would like to note in this regard that the Government of the Russian Federation has already approved plans for the comprehensive socio-economic development of such key cities of BAM as Tynda, Severobaikalsk, Neryungri, and Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

We are talking about large-scale renewal and development of their transport infrastructure, housing and utilities, major repairs and construction of schools, hospitals, kindergartens, and sports facilities. And of course, we will definitely build new, modern houses, new housing, and generally create decent conditions for those who live and work on the BAM today.

Thank you very much for your attention.

I am pleased to give the floor to our guest and friend. Please, President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Heydarovich, give you the floor.

G. Aliyev: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich,

Dear friends!

First of all, Mr President, I would like to thank you for inviting me to take part in today's event. It is a great honor for me to be among those who built the BAM, who dedicated their lives and youth to the All-Union construction project.

I would also like to congratulate all the builders, specialists, and residents of Bam on the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline.

Vladimir Vladimirovich noted that this construction project united all the republics of the Soviet Union, it is actually so, it is no coincidence that it was called the All-Union Construction Project. And of course, we are proud that both Azerbaijani builders and specialists took an active part in the construction and, as Vladimir Vladimirovich noted, built two railway stations.

Of course, I would like to express my special gratitude to Vladimir Vladimirovich for respecting the memory of Heydar Aliyev. We are well aware that it was Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Heydar Aliyev who laid the foundation for friendly and good-neighborly relations between our countries in the early 2000s. Vladimir Vladimirovich visited Azerbaijan in 2001, and this was the beginning of a long journey that we are going through together.

Today we discussed the implementation of many plans of our cooperation, which has been carried out for more than two years within the framework of allied cooperation. Of course, the Heydar Aliyev factor has always played and will continue to play an important role in our interstate relations, because during the years he worked in Moscow in this building, in the Kremlin, he made great efforts to promote the development of the Soviet state and the sphere that was entrusted to him. One of them was the transport sector.

We are also grateful to the residents of Bam and construction workers, all transport workers of Russia for perpetuating the memory of Heydar Aliyev – the railway station in the village of Angoya is named after him. As Bamov residents are well aware, he went a long way-almost on foot, by train, by helicopter - in difficult conditions from Bratsk to Vladivostok and Nakhodka, for ten days he shared the joys and sorrows with the Bamov residents.

And I remember when he returned, he was impressed not only by the scale of construction that the Soviet state is capable of, but first of all by the dedication of the Bamov people, who in the most difficult conditions, sometimes permafrost and impenetrable forests, off-road, risking their lives, you can say, every day, performed a feat, performed a miracle, that will determine the future development of the Soviet state, and today of Russia and neighboring countries, and create a unique model of infrastructure that will serve the development of both regional and international cooperation for many years – 50 years or more.

I would also like to express my gratitude to Vladimir Vladimirovich and our Russian friends for celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Heydar Aliyev. Last year, Azerbaijan and Russia celebrated this day with special respect. This is our common history, and we cherish it very much.

Today, it is gratifying that modern Russian-Azerbaijani relations are based on this solid foundation: friendship, mutual understanding, mutual support and focus on results. Today, we are not only implementing major transport projects, as Vladimir Vladimirovich noted, we are actively participating in the creation of the North-South international transport corridor, but we are also actively cooperating in economic, political, energy, humanitarian and many other areas.

As for the North-South transport corridor, Vladimir Vladimirovich and I discussed this issue in detail once again today. Relevant instructions have been given to members of the Government. I am sure that in the near future all the issues will be agreed upon, and we will start implementing another grandiose project.

I must say that there is a railway connecting the Azerbaijani-Russian border with the border of Azerbaijan and Iran on the territory of Azerbaijan. But the needs of shippers dictate that we need to build new sections of this road so that we can increase cargo transportation along it and thus provide a unique transport route from the North to the Indian Ocean.

Once again, I would like to express my gratitude for participating in this event, congratulate all the residents of BAM on their anniversary and wish the builders of Azerbaijan, Russia and all the CIS countries new success and achievements.

Thank you. [My Emphasis]

The personal diplomacy that President Putin engaged in at the outset of his first presidency continues to produce results. The BAM anniversary gives an opportunity to again promote regional togetherness between what’s now Russia and its Near Abroad. Much that was done in the Soviet past was good and productive and those feats should never be forgotten. The CIS is slowly coming together after having drifted apart for the first half of its existence. What’s been proven since 2014 is the West’s desire to conquer and plunder, not engage is normative business dealings on an equal footing. Turkey’s Erdogan has forwarded the notion of pan-Turkism that includes Azerbaijan, and other former Soviet states with Turkic backgrounds. IMO, the best way to advance that idea is within the overall Russian sphere due to geoeconomic realities and the fact that more can be accomplished through partnerships than via competition. We now move onto the next related event: another celebration of the Anniversary with the presentation of awards before a packed house in Moscow:

Putin’s speech is short and repeats a few points from his previous and only a small selection of all awardees are presented and spoke:

Vladimir Putin: Dear friends!

I congratulate you on a significant and bright anniversary date: half a century ago, the construction of a unique transport route – the legendary Baikal-Amur Mainline-was launched.

This project was historically necessary for our country. Back in the XIX century, the first proposals for the transport development of Transbaikalia and the Amur region appeared. At the beginning of the XX century, the geography of the future grandiose construction was studied, and even the route was traced. Before the Great Patriotic War and in the post-war years, separate sections were laid.

Full-scale construction of the railway started in April 1974. It was then, at the XVII Congress of the Komsomol, that BAM was declared a shock construction site, and the first group of volunteers was formed.

This event and the idea itself, undoubtedly fanned by the romance of creation and the enthusiasm of the young, inspired almost the entire country at that time: poems were composed, as we remember, and songs were sung. "Do you hear, time is buzzing: BAM" - these and other lines of popular songs at that time reflected the mood of hundreds of thousands of people. They left to build the legendary highway, choosing for themselves the fate of pioneers.

I repeat, BAM has become a truly nationwide, all-Union project. Teams of hundreds of enterprises, research institutes, and design organizations from all the republics of the Soviet Union took patronage over its objects.

About two million people were involved in the project. And for many of them, the construction of the BAM, and then the work on the highway became a life's work, the embodiment of their dreams, work, courage, the vocation of many generations of families and, of course, a real feat without any exaggeration.

In impassable swamps, in the taiga, in rocks and in permafrost conditions, our builders laid kilometers of steel track, solved problems of an exorbitant level of complexity, and implemented fundamentally new design, engineering, and technical solutions.

Participants of the BAM construction project are present here. It was they who implemented this one of the world's largest infrastructure projects of the entire XX century, laid a vital transport artery for the country.

BAM played a huge role in the development of Eastern Siberia and the Far East, our North. It allowed us to put into circulation the richest deposits of coal, iron ore, tin, gold, copper, molybdenum, oil and gas, to use this powerful raw material base for the operation of industrial complexes, factories, and for the long-term development of domestic industry.

At the turn of the century, BAM helped open up the markets of the Asia-Pacific region for the Russian economy, provided a reliable transit route for the whole of Eurasia, and in a single link with the Trans-Siberian Railway became a truly strategic transport corridor of national and global significance.

This year, the transportation capacity of the highway will be almost 42 million tons. Over the past 12 years, it has tripled, and the volume of freight traffic on the BAM continues to grow.

This year, we are launching the third stage of development of the BAM and Trans-Siberian Railway, and increasing the capacity of the Eastern Railway Polygon. This strategic decision has been made, and the necessary regulatory documents have been issued by the Government. Of course, now it's up to practical implementation. But, in fact, the work is already underway.

Like our predecessors, we are implementing this project with the involvement of advanced technologies and engineering solutions, and we will create additional demand for the products of domestic machine-building and metallurgical enterprises, for the services of the construction complex and a number of other industries.

I emphasize that it is necessary not only to "embroider" narrow areas. The task is now much more ambitious, namely: along the entire length of the BAM, it is necessary to lay continuous second tracks, in fact, to put into operation more than three hundred infrastructure facilities, including duplicates of the Severomuysky, Kuznetsovsky and Kodar tunnels, as well as the bridge across the Amur.

In the next ten years, the volume of traffic along the Eastern Railway Polygon should reach the level of 270 million tons per year. This will allow more extensive development of natural resources in the" zone of attraction " of the BAM and Trans-Siberian Railway and will become a powerful impetus for opening industrial complexes, creating modern jobs, and developing social infrastructure in Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East.

In this regard, I would like to emphasize that we will pay special attention to improving the quality of life of people in settlements connected to the BAM. Including on the basis of the developed master plans, reference points, "capitals" of BAM-Tynda and Severobaikalsk will receive long – term development. We have a big debt to the people here.

And of course, the further development of the BAM will serve to increase the export and transit opportunities of Russia as the most important link in the Eurasian transport system.

I am sure that we will definitely implement all our plans and do it for the benefit of Russia and our people.

I once again congratulate all of you on the anniversary of the beginning of the construction of the BAM. I thank the veterans of BAM. I wish the current and future generations of builders and railway workers success and great achievements. And, of course, I am very happy to present state awards today to labor collectives, people who have devoted themselves to creating BAM and working on it.

Thank you for your attention.

(State awards ceremony.)

Sergey Nechaev: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, Dear guests and colleagues,

Thank you for the highest award and honor. On behalf of all railway workers, I sincerely thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich, for your attention and support to the workers and veterans of the BAM.

BAM is a school of courage that educates true professionals, dedicated to their work, whose contribution to the development of these harsh territories, especially today, is so in demand and valuable.

Thank you to everyone who came with me to this award.

I serve Russia!

Oleg Ferdman: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich,

As they say, tunnels are the keys to the BAM. Thank you so much for your appreciation of our work. Of course, this is the award of the entire team of professionals of Bamtonnelstroy, created for the construction of all the tunnels on the Baikal-Amur railway.

We are proud that Bamtonnelstroy has built the Severomuisky Tunnel – one of the longest tunnels in Russia and the most difficult tunnel for sinking in the world.

Thank you very much.

R. Baisarov: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich,

This is a great reward and a huge responsibility.

Bamtonnelstroy was established in 1975 by order of the Ministry of Transport Construction of the USSR for the construction of all tunnels on the Baikal-Amur Mainline. It was on this construction site that professional tunnel builders and bridge builders were born-and today they work in Bamtonnelstroy.

Over half a century of history, our specialists have built over three thousand unique infrastructure facilities for the benefit of our country.

The anniversary year since the beginning of the construction of the Baikal-Amur Main Line was marked by the breakout of the new Dusse-Alin tunnel in permafrost conditions by the drilling and blasting method, which is being built in the Khabarovsk Territory, on the Baikal-Amur Mainline.

I would like to focus separately on the prospects for the development of BAM.

Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich,

Your assignment regarding the construction of facilities within the framework of the third stage of the Eastern Landfill has been fulfilled. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation and Russian Railways, Bamtonnelstroy has moved to the new construction site of the century, where the largest infrastructure facilities in our country will be built at the expense of attracted private investment: the second Severomuysky tunnel, the second Kodar Tunnel, the bridge over the Amur River and the Kuznetsovsky tunnel.

Bamtonnelstroy pays special attention to the creation of social infrastructure for construction workers and local residents, including the construction of sports and recreation complexes, medical centers, kindergartens, and even plans to build a maternity hospital.

The implementation of the third stage of the Eastern Landfill will give a new impetus to the socio-economic development of Siberia and the Far East, where about 100 thousand new jobs will be created.

Thank you very much, Vladimir Vladimirovich. We will definitely implement everything.

V. Ismailzade: I'm worried, I'm sorry.

Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, Dear veterans, Dear construction colleagues,

50 years ago, here in Moscow, it was decided to announce the all-Union construction of the BAM. In these words – the labor feat, dreams, efforts of millions of people.

Today, as before, BAM is a nationwide project. Our common task is to bring the highway to a new level, corresponding to the new challenges facing the country, and give a powerful impetus to development.

I am sure that together we can do this.

Thank you, dear colleagues, for your responsible work, for the work done.

Happy holidays!

Grigory Fadeev: Dear President Vladimir Vladimirovich,

I thank you for awarding me a high award.

Taking this opportunity, since we met yesterday with you and with President Aliyev of Azerbaijan and discussed a lot – it was a pleasure to meet with everyone: veterans, engineers-I would like to ask today this hall, which came to meet you, with you – maybe someone sees you for the first time-that we everyone thanked our President for his titanic work, which is aimed at the development of our state and defense.

And let's wish him good health for many, many years to come. For our President!

(Applause.)

Vladimir Putin: Dear friends,

First of all, I would like to congratulate those awarded with state awards, and I would like to congratulate all the residents of Bam on their anniversary.

There is nothing more pleasant – to watch the results of your work. For the builders, for the residents of Bam in particular, we have gathered today in their honor, this is a special event-the anniversary of such a grandiose object, such a project, when people, devoting their entire lives to this cause, can observe the results of this work and the results of their lives.

Almost all the awardees whispered in my ear: I serve Russia. Thank you for your service. [My Emphasis]

Again, we see the use of internal investment into large infrastructure projects drive further development of Russia’s economy, which is also the path China took. Once it all gets built-out it must then be maintained and modernized if possible to retain its value to the economy. Many nations globally need to do exactly that to enter into the modern world of business and trade so they can gain as much independence as possible. The place to start is with a nation’s human capital base—develop people so they can develop the nation. It’s a very simple formula but many nations lack the beginner’s basics—teachers, schools and equipment. As we’ve seen, the West has no desire to supply such things as it doesn’t want anyone to challenge its dominance; it would rather supply weapons for those peoples to destroy themselves instead. Russia and China are right to be proud of what they’ve accomplished, but to finally defeat the West they need all the allies they can muster, and both show wisdom by providing education, training, and equipment and just enough weapons and training for basic policing and defense. To complete its very grand and ambitious projects, Russia needs to also help others rise so they can participate in the overall economy that will help each nation win.

For readers curious for more, Sputnik has a good article on these events and the one that caused them, “Russia's Baikal-Amur Mainline Future 'Center of Global Development.’”

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