Prague will build metro D, first section Pankrác to Nové Dvory

The capital will start building metro line D. The first section of the route from Pankrác to Nové Dvory will be built. The costs should be around CZK 52.09 billion, including inflation, Prague representatives decided today. However, the exact date of the start of construction is not yet clear. Representatives also today approved a guarantee to finance the 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 expected price has increased disproportionately 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 institutions on financing and at the same time to negotiate with state institutions on the possibility 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 the financial coverage of the construction for DPP. This will allow the company to raise 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 price of the first section at today's meeting that was criticized by opposition representatives. Although the opposition ODS and ANO support the construction of the metro, they do not like the price increase in recent years. Representative Ondřej Prokop (ANO) said that for 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 CZK 52 billion was prepared. At the same time, he stated that metro lines had been built abroad in recent years 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 track 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, which rejected the municipality's bias in deciding on construction. The decision postpones the issuance of the building permit indefinitely. The case must be re-discussed by the ministry.

Source: CTK