Large-scale Rural Investments to Be Launched This Year

This year, a number of developments will begin across the country, as the Ministry of Construction and Transport has ordered the launch of several investments at the end of 2024, Világgazdaság spotted in the supplement to the Hungarian Gazette.

The development of the Hungarian countryside will not stop this year either, according to instructions issued by the Ministry of Construction and Transport in the Official Gazette. The Ministry has ordered dozens of projects to develop Baja, Mohács (both in southern Hungary) and Salgótarján (northern Hungary).

Some of the developments are interconnected, as several developments in Baja and Mohács are part of the Bácska project.

Fact

The Bácska project aims to develop the region south of Baja. The project includes the construction of the Danube bridge in Mohács and connecting roads, such as a link to the M6 motorway. In addition to economic development, the government aims to make transport in the region safer and more comfortable.

The Ministry has instructed:

to draw up a concept for the southern bypass of Baja,
the preparation of an urban sports stadium project,
to prepare the renovation of the Petőfi Bridge,
there are also plans to renovate roads and even a castle,
and the development of plans for the M9 motorway between the 51 and 53 motorways by the end of 2027.

The Ministry also launched a new bus service between Baja and Budapest from January 1.

The majority of the developments in Mohács are mainly related to the Danube bridge and related road network being built in the city,

but also include the development of the M60 between Pécs and Szigetvár (southwestern Hungary), based on the instruction issued earlier this week. Preparations are also underway to link Villány (town in the famous Villány wine region) to the M6 motorway.

In addition, a feasibility study will be carried out on a possible railway line between Mohács and Bátaszék, and a public procurement procedure will be launched for the development of the Mohács National Monument within the framework of the Mohács 500 program.

In Salgótarján, the downtown railway station will be renewed, an impact study will be carried out on the launch of a local commuter railway from Salgótarján Industrial Park to Somoskőújfalu, and several roads will be upgraded.

János Lázár, Minister of Construction and Transport, also gave instructions for a ten-year plan to be drawn up for the rehabilitation of Salgótarján town center.

The background to the investments just announced is part of the new program of the Ministry of Construction and Transport. Earlier, János Lázár said that his ministry would improve the countryside, and to this end he would visit partner cities. He recalled that since 2010, Viktor Orbán’s government has been running a program for the development of the Great Plain, and in the past 14 years it has made extraordinary efforts to bring this area up to the standard of living of the Transdanubian region.

At the time, he mentioned Debrecen, Szeged, Békéscsaba, Szolnok and Kecskemét (east) among the municipalities concerned. These cities were described by the Hungarian government as its allies with great potential for development, for instance in terms of GDP per capita. Now other cities have been targeted, with the development of Baja, Mohács and Salgótarján becoming the focus of attention.

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