Prague will build metro D, the first will create a section from Pankrác to Nové Dvory
Updates: 17.06.2021 13:16
Released: 17.06.2021, 12:54
Prague – The capital is starting to build the steps of metro D. The first section of routes from Pankrác to Nové Dvory will be built. The costs should be approximately 52.09 billion crowns, including inflation. The Prague representatives decided on that today. However, the exact date of the start of construction is not yet clear. Representatives today also approved a guarantee to finance construction. The transport company (DPP) will raise money for it from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and commercial banks. The city also wants to negotiate state support.
DPP completed part of the geological survey in Pankrác last summer, the entire survey will be completed in September this year. Metro D will connect Pankrác and Písnice in the first phase. Today, the price of the building was criticized by opposition representatives, according to whom the price is expected to be disproportionately limited in recent years.
“Approval of this material will allow me, Mr. Deputy (Pavel) Vyhnánek and Mayor (Zdeněk Hřib) to negotiate with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and other institutional financing, and at the same time to negotiate with state institutions on the possibilities of financing the metro, whether from national or European sources, “said the mayor’s deputy Adam Scheinherr (Prague Sobě).
The capital will not finance the construction, but will guarantee financially covered constructions for DPP. This will allow the company to obtain the necessary money. DPP CEO Petr Witowski told ČTK on Wednesday that negotiations with banks and other institutions on financing will take about a year.
It was the award of the first section at today’s meeting that was criticized by opposition representatives. Opposition ODS and ANO support the necessary construction of the metro, they do not like the increase in prices in recent years. Representative Ondřej Prokop (ANO) said that under the former mayor Adriana Krnáčová (ANO) the construction of eight stations and a depot for 39 billion and now for five stations without a depot for 52 billion crowns was prepared. At the same time, he stated that in recent years, metro lines have been built abroad at a lower price. Representative Václav Bílek (YES) said that the price is higher than, for example, in Vienna or Berlin.
Scheinherr disagreed with the allegations. According to him, the price level for one kilometer of the line is comparable to prices in the west. Witowski then said that it is not possible to take only the price per kilometer and compare it with other cities. According to him, the influence of geological conditions, for example, is how many trains will run on the line or at what speed.
Representatives also addressed the decision of the Ministry of Transport (MD) on the alleged bias of the municipality. Last week, the Ministry of Transport annulled its own decision from last September, by which it rejected the municipality’s bias in deciding on the construction. The decision postpones the issuance of the building permit indefinitely. The case must be re-discussed by the ministry.
The complaint about bias has been resolved by the Ministry of Transport since last year and was submitted to the municipality by the Pankrácká společnost association, which, among other things, does not agree with the Olbrachtova station. According to the representatives, the initiative is based on the independent representative of Prague 4, elected on the Pirates candidate Marie Jelínková. The Pirates were criticized not only by the opposition, but also by the coalition representative Jan Wolf (KDU-ČSL), who described Jelínková’s move as a disgrace to the Pirates and the construction of the metro as “Temelín Prague”. According to the representative of Jan Hora (Pirates), Jelínková will be expelled from the club in Prague 4 due to a violation of the election program.
The smallest operational section of the new route is the one mentioned above, where the Pankrác station is planned, which will be a transfer station on connection C, then Olbrachtova, Nádraží Krč, Krč Hospital and Nové Dvory. There will be revolving tracks at both ends of this section. They are not in the shorter section of turning wheels and cannot be operated efficiently, including other connections.
The city will draw the total amount for the construction gradually. For this year, it should come to 0.17 million, and conversely, the most money will have to spend in 2027, and up to 9.65 billion. The last payments are planned for 2029, namely 0.56 million. The outlook for the coming years will be specified in accordance with the implementation and preparation process.
DPP completed a geological survey at two of the four sites last summer. In the places of the completed survey, we will subsequently carry out further exploratory wells, which will be part of the future metro area. The survey will last for the remaining two until September this year. Most of the tunnels from the geological survey will be part of the future D metro.
In the first phase, a metro will be built between Pankrác and Nové Dvůr and then continue to the Písnice Depot. A section from Pankrác to náměstí Míru must be built in. Where the metro from Náměstí Míru will lead, it has not yet been decided. One of the options was Republic Square, according to the other, the route should go to Žižkov and further to Vysočany. According to this year’s update, the total estimated price is 97.79 billion crowns and the investor is DPP.