Forty billion crown price tag put on Prague D metro line
Construction works on a section of the planned new “D” line of the Prague Metro system, leading from Pankrác to Depo Písnice, should cost 39.7 billion crowns, suggests a document discussed by Prague city’s municipal Transport Committee this week.
Construction will be preceded by an archaeological surveys which is set to begin this summer and is expected to take about a year.
The long-delayed “D” route is meant to connect the city centre with the southern districts and also relieve the crowded Metro C line.
The first section of the line – which will feature driverless trains – should lead from Pankrác to the depo of Písnice and will be later extended to connect Pankrác with the city centre and Náměstí Míru.
Construction works on the line will be launched at Pankrác station, outside the Arkády shopping mall. This is where the tunnel boring machines will be brought under the ground. Construction of the Metro’s D route was originally supposed to start in 2010, but it was postponed due to various reasons, including problems with acquiring all of the land.
The Prague Public Transport Company plans to establish a joint venture with the developer Penta Investments, which won the tender, over the purchase of land needed for the metro route and stations.
According to the head of the Prague Transport Company Martin Gillár, the Prague Transport Company alone is unable to purchase the land, since owners are asking for higher amounts than it can handle.
They also demand compensation for the years when construction on their land was blocked due to the planned metro line.
According to previously released plans, it should be completed by the year 2022 or 2023. The Prague Metro launched operation in 1974 and currently has three lines with 61 stations.
