Updates: 04/21/2022 17:38
Released: 21.04.2022, 14:23

Prague – Representatives of the capital and transport company (DPP) in Pankrác have begun construction of the D metro line from Pankrác to Olbrachtov. The cost of this part of the line is about 14.5 billion crowns and the work will last 90 months, ie about seven and a half years. It includes two stations, where the Pankrác station will be transferred to the current station of the same name on line C, and the city expects more than 120,000 passengers a day. The section started today will be followed by a section to Nové Dvory and the last section will be to Písnice. The costs should be a total of 52.09 billion crowns, including inflation.

In January this year, the DPP completed a geological survey, which it conducted in four places in Pankrác. The buildings created during the survey will be used. In the first stage, not only two stations were created on the 1.3-kilometer-long section, but also inter-station tunnels, a tunnel for reversing tracks and a parking tunnel, technological tunnels for air conditioning, a link between lines C and D and several escalator tunnels. After completing the section to Písnice, the metro is to continue from Pankrác to náměstí Míru.

“A moment such as the launch of a new metro line was last seen 44 years ago, when construction of line B began. I think it is (the start of metro D) an incredibly important step in the development of the city, not just the southern part, which suffers from that it is served only by car, “said Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr (Prague Sobě).

The Pankrác station will be single-seater with side platforms and will be the largest on route D. The track will be 33 meters underground. Olbrachtova station will consist of two station tunnels in an arch with an inner platform and will have two vestibules. The tunnel between the stations will measure 675 meters. The tunnels created during the geological survey will be used in Pankrác. A 468-meter-long connection between lines C and D will also be built. The metro will overcome a height difference of 15 meters. The trains will leave the Kačerov depot until route D has its depot.

Work will first be started on the relocation of engineering networks, which will be followed by the excavation of access shafts necessary for the excavation of stations. Furthermore, tunnels between the stations will begin to be dug. In the second phase in 2024 and 2025, workers will excavate stations. The construction of vestibules will follow.

The city will finance the construction not only from its budget, but also negotiates a loan with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the government. “We are in advanced negotiations with the EIB. We hope that Prague will support the Czech state and government, not only morally but also financially. Cities in the civilized world do not build subways themselves, but are supported by central governments,” said Deputy Mayor Pavel Vyhnánek. ). ). The city could borrow more than 20 billion crowns from the bank. For this year, the capital has allocated more than four billion crowns in the budget for the construction of the metro.

The preparation of the construction involved a number of problems. The city had to reach an agreement with the landowners along the planned route. The Pankrác Society Association filed several complaints against the construction, including accusing the municipality of systemic bias, which the Ministry of Transport subsequently rejected. A complaint against the issuance of a building permit was also resolved from the same complainants. The Antimonopoly Office also dealt with a complaint about a tender in which DPP selected construction contractors. This complaint was also rejected.

The start of construction was welcomed by the Prague opposition. “I am glad that metro D, which has been connected with the Prague ODS since 2012, when we gave the initial impetus for its construction, is finally starting to build today after a long time. There is still a lot to do in the capital to improve transport , but today is good news for a large part of Prague residents and a step towards a better life in the city, “said Bohuslav Svoboda (ODS), a member of the Spolu coalition, together with a member of the Together coalition.

The chairman of the YES deputies, Ondřej Prokop, stated that he urgently needed a new line in Prague. “Metro D is one of the few projects that we have prepared and handed over to the coalition (mayor) Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates), which it did not stop and, on the contrary, moved forward,” he said. At the same time, he rebuked the city that the construction had become more expensive than in the past. He criticized the mayor for the Pirates finding a match with his former representative from Prague 4, who joined the building together with the local civic association.

Parameters of the station of the first section of metro D:

Metro line D Náměstí Míru-Depo Písnice:

Source: Transport company. hl. m of Prague

construction of public transport Prague metro