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Drumul Taberei - Universitate subway segment to be completed in 2016; subway line to Otopeni to be opened in 2019
Structural works on Universitate - Drumul Taberei subway segment, in Bucharest, are to be completed in 2015, and the project will be functional probably in 2016, Gabriel Mocanu, Metrorex investment manager, told AGERPRES.
'Works on this segment will be ready, at the structure level, in 2015. In 2016, it will start operating, with passengers. If we move faster and also have financing it is likely to open it even in 2015', Metrorex representative pointed out, during a visit to the construction site in Drumul Taberei, occasioned by the anniversary of 33 years since the first subway line was inaugurated in Bucharest.
He stressed that, physically, the works on this segment are delayed by about ten months, of which only a month because of the constructor's fault, the problems being caused by moving utilities, problems with expropriation, but also the lack of funds, the works being almost threatened by a blockage.
'We hope to have those about 500 million lei necessary to the works next year. Since January, we will start digging with two milling machines and, until then, the due bills of the constructors will be also paid. I can not tell what is their value because we negotiate with the constructors to reach a deal ', Gabriel Mocanu explained.
The new CEO of Metrorex, Aurel Radu, said that, in 2016, the other segment of Line 5 will be ready, Universitate - Pantelimon, whose work will start next year and, in 2019, the subway line will be inaugurated, to International Airport Henri Coanda - Otopeni, as well as Parc Bazilescu - Lacul Straulesti segment on Gara de Nord - Lac Straulescu line.
The Bucharest subway celebrated on Monday 33 years since the opening of the first segment, Semanatoarea - Timpuri Noi, which started operating on November 19, 1979.
Bucharest subway network has a total length of 70 kilometers, is divided into four lines, 51 stations and three depots.
Although it covers only 3.7 percent of the entire length of Bucharest public transport network, the subway takes on average between 20 and 25 percent of the total volume of passengers who use public transport means.
The city of Bucharest was among the top 60 cities in the world to introduce underground transport.
Throughout its history, the subway has carried over 4.4 billion passengers.
Currently, underground traffic is carried out by a network of four main lines, totaling nearly 70 km of double track and 51 stations, Bucharest subway being placed in the top half of the most developed and modern underground networks in the world; on average, in a working day, more than 700,000 passengers use the subway.
Metro Line 4, in the near horizon, will be extended with another two stations: Laminorului and Lac Straulesti and, in the future, with Gara de Nord - Gara Progresul segment.
Subway Line 5 will come next (Drumul Taberei - Universitate - Pantelimon), Subway Line 6, the link between Bucharest City subway network and Henri Coanda Otopeni Airport on the route Gara de Nord - 1 Mai - Henri Coanda Airport and Subway Line 7 ( Bragadiru - Rahova - Piata Unirii - Mosilor - Obor - Colentina - Voluntari).
Metrorex estimates that the total length of the subway network will reach some 160 km of double track, and the percentage of passengers who will use the subway will account for over 50 percent of the total number of passengers using the public transportation means in the city of Bucharest.