Construction of Line 6 of Bucharest Metro has generated various opinions from the authorities as far as the implementation of the project is concerned and these opinions have relied on different criteria: from establishing the route of the line and the need for investments to the passenger flow. Under the project, the line will have 14.2 km and will provide the link between the network and Henri Coandă – Otopeni International Airport. A project announced long time ago and which would link Gara de Nord to the Airport would be the construction of a railway line.
The underground line 6 will include the construction of 14.2 km of double track with 12 stations and 12 trains which requires investments of over EUR 1 Billion and would cross important areas of Bucharest that are constantly developing. The population that will be the direct beneficiaries of the line is estimated at around 150,000 passengers/day and around 100,000 people will benefit indirectly of the line due to the reduction of the surface traffic.
The project will ease traffic, revive social and economic activities and stimulate the development of suburbs in the northern area of the capital whose urbanisation level is expected to know a steady increase. The consultancy contract on the preparation, design and supervision of works was signed at the end of 2011 with a consortium of Padeco Japan in JV with Oriental Consultants Japan and Metroul SA (Romania) for EUR 66.6 Million. The contract was financed through a JICA credit and from the state budget. For 2012, Metrorex (Bucharest metro company) announced the notice of intent for the line construction bid.
If the project would be launched in 2013, the commissioning deadline will be 2019, but currently the project waits for the approval of the latest technical and economic indicators. The new line could meet transport demands as it would play an important role in the transport system by creating a link between transport modes: railway and air.
Although in March, former Minister of Transport Relu Fenechiu announced that this section is in the design phase, and that the authorities were trying to access European funds to finance works, in July he made a declaration that contradicted those said earlier in the year. He said the investment for Line 6 was “enormous” and it was not explained by the existing traffic and that he would come up with a surface, cheaper project instead. “I don’t think that we will ever have as many passengers as to make this line efficient. If this line is only to connect the Otopeni Airport to Gara de Nord, I want you to think that the maximum level of passengers that the line can have is the maximum level of passengers of the airport.” The minister compared the level of passengers on a similar section of Metrorex, saying that “it is 100 times higher”.
The current problem is the contract signed with the Japanese side which approved the implementation of the line.
There is another project which could ensure the connection between the city and the airport, that of the infrastructure manager, CFR SA, regarding the construction of a railway line. There is already a railway line which ensures the fuel supply of the airport. The design and execution of works are estimated at around EUR 350 Million.
The idea of the overground (railway) infrastructure has also been approved by the former minister who proposed the construction of this line in the underground in the neighbourhood of the airport. The project is much cheaper and the travel time is similar.
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