New subway line in Bucharest deferred by over half a year

Work at the 5th line of the Bucharest subway network will be completed in the second half of next year, announced the new general manager of subway network operator Metrorex, Mariana Miclăuş.

Former transport minister Razvan Cuc assured that the line would be inaugurated in December. At this time, 87% of the work is completed, Miclăuş informed.

"Of course we want to complete it. The work is 87% completed but there are still untouched fronts (...) An estimate is next year, the end of the second quarter, the beginning of third quarter, we hope to be able to complete everything that has been started,” said the Metrorex general manager, local Ziarul Financiar reported.

The new minister of transport, Lucian Bode, said when taking over the office, that the work on the subway line to Drumul Taberei would not be completed this year. “We are committed to completing the 5th line on the Drumul Taberei - Eroilor section. (...) Unfortunately, as things are today, this objective will not be commissioned in 2019,” admitted Bode.

The subway line connects downtown Bucharest area to the busy residential neighborhood Drumul Taberei. Work on this line started in 2012 and was supposed to be completed at the end of 2015. The value of this project is RON 3.4 billion (EUR 720 mln) and part of the money came from the European Union.

(Photo source: Metrorex)