Debris-trapping systems are to be installed to protect the railway line in the Danube Bend

Public procurement procedure has been launched by MÁV Pályaműködtetési Zrt. to protect a critical section of the 70 railway line running through the picturesque Danube Bend. The railway company is seeking to conclude a framework agreement worth 3 billion forints to mitigate erosion risks, which are accelerating due to climate change.

Four years ago, a mudslide swept away a section of the track  

In June 2022, following heavy rainfall, an avalanche of around 10,000 cubic metres of mud and rocks came crashing down from Szent Mihály Hill onto the No. 70 railway line. At the Dömös crossing, rock debris and sediment covered the railway track over a 1,700-metre stretch. During the restoration work, the overhead line system was rebuilt, and the embankment and retaining wall were repaired.

The project would affect nine erosion valleys

The current public procurement process is aimed at mitigating risks. The 484-metre-high St Michael’s Hill is one of the defining natural features of the Danube Bend: although it is classified as part of the Börzsöny range in terms of physical geography, its geological formation actually places it within the volcanic system of the Visegrád Mountains.
Erosion processes have intensified since 2010 as a result of climate change, flash floods and past mining activities. According to the tender specifications, the client may request the installation of a protection system and slope protection in nine erosion valleys. The total area to be protected is 18,900 square metres.

A defence system is being built

Protection of the section of the river between Nagymaros and Szob would be reinforced by installing prefabricated structures designed to trap both fine and coarse debris. Sediment traps and nets must be installed in varying proportions in the individual erosion valleys. Each procurement requirement may involve the protection of an average of 1,500 square metres of slope surface.