The construction of one of the most eagerly awaited investments, the subway linking Bucharest to Henri Coandă airport, will enter a new phase. From April, machines will start digging the tunnels of the first section from May 1 to Tokyo.
Representatives of associations campaigning for infrastructure development estimate that the metro to Otopeni will run with passengers after 2030.
The first mole that will dig one of the two tunnels of the southern section of the 6 subway has been lowered underground.
The machine will start the work at the site of the future Tokyo metro station, in the Băneasa shopping area, and will finish it at the other end of the line, at the 1 Mai metro station.
The second tunnel will be dug by another so-called mole, after the first one launched underground has taken a considerable lead.
Engineers want to reduce the risk of excessive vibrations underground if the two pieces of equipment were to operate in parallel.
Ioan Săvoiu, Secretary of State, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure: There will be two digging fronts one month and two months after the start of works on the first line, drilling will start on the second line. They are scheduled to start in April on the first thread.
Construction of the southern section, May 1-Tokyo, which will have six stations, started in December 2023, later than it was supposed to. Transportation ministry officials expect the deadline for completing work on tunnels, galleries and the stations’ endurance structure, contractually set for 2027, to be missed.
Work is also delayed on the northern section, “Washington-Otopeni Airport”. Metrorex has issued the order to start work on only one of the six stations, “Ion I.C Brătianu”.
Under these conditions, representatives of associations that campaign for infrastructure development expect the metro to Otopeni to run with passengers after 2030.
Residents in neighborhoods such as 1 Mai, where there are traffic restrictions, expect the work to be completed as soon as possible.
Metro Line 6 will have a total of 12 stations and will be about 14 km long.