Report: RDIF, foreign funds to partake in bridge across Lena River

MOSCOW, Nov 20 (PRIME) -- The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) plans to participate in construction of a 83 billion ruble bridge across the Lena River together with Middle Eastern and Asian funds, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said in an interview to Rossiya 24 television channel broadcast on Wednesday.

“Yes, we plan to participate in this project, we will definitely bid. There will obviously be competition, different consortiums will participate in it…We expect participation of Middle Eastern and Asian funds in the project,” he said.

The RDIF has necessary experience after construction of a bridge across the Amur River. “This is the first Russian–Chinese bridge that will be finished until the end of this year. We think that infrastructure projects like these are very important,” he said.

On Monday, President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to develop proposals for the construction. Business daily Kommersant reported that Putin supported construction of a three-kilometer highway bridge across the river with 11 kilometers of connection roads.

(63.7730 rubles – U.S. $1)

End