Evgeny Lyulin noted that the residents of Nizhny Novgorod have already appreciated the comfort and speed of the updated trams.

      On March 19, 2026, at 17:26 Society, a meeting of the Transport and Road Economy Committee was held in the Legislative Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Deputies discussed the progress of the concession agreement for the modernization of the infrastructure of ground electric public transport in Nizhny Novgorod. The chairman of the regional parliament, Evgeny Lyulin, emphasized that a significant amount of work has been carried out in the regional center recently.

      As reported at the committee meeting by the director of LLC "Ecological Projects," Evgeny Grabovsky, the work under the concession agreement signed in 2022 covers 100% of the city's tram infrastructure and involves a complete renewal of tracks, traction substations, depots, and rolling stock.

      To date, 105.55 km of tram lines have been reconstructed in single-track measurement out of the planned 149.3 km. 6 out of 15 traction substations have been modernized, and work is ongoing at depot No. 2 on Narodnaya Street. 147 new trams have been delivered, including 144 large-class cars and 3 extra-large class cars. The assembly of the cars is localized in the Nizhny Novgorod region at the site in Vorsma (joint venture "Nizhekotrans"), and the trams have been named "MiNin" and went into service in February 2023.

      The route No. 5 "Kulibin Street – Myza," launched in June 2024, has already shown a 32% increase in passenger traffic (from 6.95 to 9.15 thousand passengers) and a 64% increase in speed (from 11 to 18 km/h).

      "The most important thing is that all tram tracks in Nizhny Novgorod will be renewed. Now we are already talking about increasing passenger traffic on the introduced sections: for a number of routes, it has not only returned to previous levels but has also grown. This means that people see the advantages – speed, comfort, and absence of vibrations. The regional government, the Ministry of Transport, and the concessionaire are working successfully. This is especially noticeable compared to other regions. We currently have a single contractor, and the mechanisms are well established," noted the chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Evgeny Lyulin.

      The main work on track relaying is expected to be completed this year. This year, work will be carried out in complex areas. The intersection of Vaneeva Street will be done in two to three stages to minimize inconveniences. The plan is to time the main work for the May holidays. Another challenging point is Chkalov Street near the Kanavinsky department store, where there is a narrow passage and a heavy load from traffic to shopping centers. These issues will be closely monitored by the relevant committee.

      The total cost of capital expenditures under the concession amounts to 50.4 billion rubles. Currently, 29 billion rubles have been utilized.

      In 2026, it is planned to complete all work on the upper structure of the track in the hilly and riverbank parts of the city, except for the turning ring on Youth Avenue, which has been postponed to 2027 due to the reconstruction of the depot.

      In the future, the development of the tram network in the Sormovsky and Prioksky districts is planned, including lines in the direction of "Myza – Shcherbinki," Olgino – Novinki, and the residential complex "Oksky Bereg." The total length of new lines will be 47.8 km. This will increase the connectivity of areas and the passenger traffic of the tram network from 48.9 million to 62.1 million people per year.

      "We are closely monitoring the situation. After winter, with the thawing of the ground, it is important to assess the condition of the new tracks. There are no complaints about the center and sections with cast asphalt, but local subsidence, for example, on the auto plant lines, is already being addressed by the contractor under warranty obligations. The warranty for the upper structure of the track is 8 years, and we will strictly control its implementation. The contract with the unscrupulous contractor, who missed deadlines, has been terminated, and all volumes have been transferred to the company "Fort," which has proven itself well in the hilly area. We also agreed that by the end of March, a detailed work schedule will be approved with weekly accuracy so that deputies can inform residents and respond promptly to traffic issues," said the chairman of the regional parliament's Transport and Road Economy Committee, Vladimir Soldatenkov.

      Deputies will continue to monitor the implementation of the concession and interact with residents regarding temporary inconveniences during the work.

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