Nothing has been heard about the metro line that should connect the capital to the airport. Ziare.com has learned new information about this project.
The construction of the metro line to the Otopeni “Henri Coandă” Airport (M6) has caused disputes among the politicians who came to power. For example, Cătălin Drula, the former Minister of Transport, from the USR side, rather leaned in a negative direction. On the other hand, his successor, Sorin Grindeanu, from PSD, promoted the initiative.
Over time, the Ministers of Transport contradicted themselves on the subject of the subway to the airport
In 2021, Cătălin Drula argued that such an investment is not justified, because it would not serve too many citizens.
“There are some question marks in relation to this investment, which we are reevaluating, and, in the context in which a subway line, once built, has some very high costs associated with it and they must be covered with a large passenger traffic, and in Bucharest there is a great need for a subway on some highways that would have a load maybe ten times higher. I’m referring, for example, to the M5 highway, the east-west axis of Bucharest, and to the M4 highway, the north-south axis offset from the city center to the west,” said Drula.
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Also, he did not see the opportunity, because the railway from the North Station to Otopeni had been inaugurated.
“The M6 highway is being built and will be built at least as far as sector 1, phase 1, as far as the center of Baneasa. About the sector that comes from Băneasa to the airport, we are in a process of reevaluation at the level of the ministry, because we have to see exactly the feasibility of the project, if the current form is the best, because we will have a new terminal that will take over, according to the 2008 feasibility study, all airport traffic will be somewhere 3 kilometers on the other side of the runways, so not here in terminal 1, and the metro, as it is designed so far, does not connect to that terminal.
So here is a first problem that should be solved so that it is actually used and useful. I remind you that we have a train here, there are 72 trains a day on this route, it is right at the exit of the terminal, which takes 24 minutes to the North Station, and in the opposite direction it is faster, it is 20 minutes. At the moment when we have a train that takes 20 minutes, the metro, as designed, would take 35 minutes and stop 14 times and not go to the new terminal”, said Cătălin Drula, at the beginning of the year 2021.
At the end of 2022, Sorin Grindeanu criticized Drula for “blocking” the project.
“The deadline for the subway to the Otopeni airport is 2026. For a year, this project, which had Japanese funding, was stopped by a former Minister of Transport (Cătălin Drula), not considering it an important project for the people of Bucharest. Almost canceled it. He stopped the project. Last year I apologized to the Japanese ambassador. In 2-3 weeks I think that the people from the metro will be able to announce the winners of the tender for this project. The Japanese are extremely serious from this point of view.
There are two sections – one that goes to Mall Băneasa and the second to the airport. The first section is already under way. In the PNRR, a project was passed that was not mature, funding on Highway 4. I conveyed to our colleagues in the government our desire to move this funding from Highway 4 in the PNRR and to Highway 6 where the winner is already given and the works have already started, because we risk that this M4, I repeat immature project, we will not be able to complete it until 2026.
The PUZs, authorizations were not authorized, everything is in the bureaucratic phase. I believe that we will convince the European Commission to make this change between M4 and M6 (the highway to Otopeni Airport), so that M4 remains on the future transport operational program. The deadline is 2026. Could we take the subway to the Airport in 2026? Yes”, said Sorin Grindeanu, at Digi 24.
So when does work start to complete the subway to the Airport?
The start of tunneling for the first batch is scheduled for the fall of this year, Metrorex claims. Also, the works for the second batch should be started at the end of 2024.
“At the present date, the contract for the design and execution of the resistance structure is in progress with the object of ‘Connection of the metro network with the Henri Coandă International Airport (Highway 6. 1 Mai – Otopeni) for Lot 1.1: 1 Mai – Tokyo’. The start of tunneling for Lot 1.1 is expected for August-September 2024.
Also, the contract for the design and execution of resistance structure works with the object ‘Connection of the metro network with the Henri Coandă International Airport (Highway 6. 1 Mai – Otopeni), for Lot 1.2: Tokyo – Otopeni Airport’, is also ongoing.
Site works on Lot 1.2, North Section, Tokyo – Otopeni Airport, will be started as soon as possible after obtaining the Building Authorization, a document estimated to be issued by the competent authorities during the second quarter of this year, following that the agreements and notices will be issued by the competent authorities and institutions according to the law”, Metrorex sent, for Newspapers.com.
The most recent completion date submitted by the Government for this project is 2026, but with modest chances of fulfillment. The first feasibility studies began two decades ago. The project was shelved, from time to time it was discussed at the government level, with various deadlines for completion. From this point of view, it always seemed like a “sci-fi” initiative.
Metrorex director: “12 new trains will run on Highway 6”
The other day, general manager Mariana Miclauș provided technical details about the M5:
“Highway 6 is already under construction. It connects the “Henri Coandă” International Airport, the country’s main air gate, to the existing network, namely to the Main Line 4, which will continue from the North Station to the Progresul Station, so that we will have a north-south diametrical link that will connect the Otopeni Airport, Baneasa Airport, Baneasa Station, Basarab Station, Nord Station and Progresul Station.
We are open and confident that our projects, both the modernization that the metro needs, but also the expansion, are supported by the authorities that can contribute to the development of the metro.
Highway 6 will have a route of 14.2 km of double track, on which 12 new, modern trains will run and will include 12 stations along the route from 1 Mai to Otopeni”, the Metrorex official said.
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Tags: Bucharest Otopeni Airport subway running work start Metrorex reaction
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