The Minister of PEHODE, Mr. George Souflias made the following statement with regard to the progress of works at Metro Line 3 extension:
“The most important transportation project, i.e. Line 3 extension towards Egaleo with three Stations VOTANIKOS, ELEONAS, EGALEO which is to provide services to the citizens of the western suburbs of Athens, progresses well.
All the problems which existed in the past have been overcome and we expedite the completion of the extension whose cost estimate amounts to 605 million euros.
Today, the boring of the tunnel along the entire length of the Line of the project (4.3km) was completed. Please be also reminded that last July the new tunnel was connected with the existing Monastiraki – Plakentia -Airport Line 3 tunnel.
Unfortunately, we accepted the said project with significant delays. However, we managed to complete it successfully despite all the difficult archeological, technical, contractual and financial issues and took all the appropriate measures in order to make up for lost time.
Thanks to the efficient co-operation with the Ministry of Culture and the Antiquities Department, the completion of particularly extensive archaeological excavations, both in terms of extent and depth, was expedited, while improvements were made to the design of the project and, thus, time was gained. There may be therefore significant advancement to the construction works related to the Metro extension.
Life in the western suburbs of Athens will change radically with the operation of the Metro Line, since the areas surrounding the new Stations will be upgraded in terms of aesthetics, but the time needed to travel towards the city center will be significantly reduced.
It is worth metnioning that at the current phase it takes at least 40 minutes in peak hour to drive from Egaleo to Syntagma, while by Metro it will only take 6 minutes!
Our political will and our aim is to extend and constantly improve the Metro network in order to ameliorate the conditions of the passengers daily life.
The detailed data of this extension are as follows:
BENEFITS OF THE EXTENSION
The benefits from the operation of the extension to Egaleo are many:
- easy, rapid and reliable access to the city center (Egaleo -Syntagma in 6 minutes),
- the new commercial activities to be developped in the vicinity of the Metro and the commissioning of the three upgraded in terms of aesthetics Metro stations will significantly enhance the image of the wider area and will boost local economy
- underprivileged areas of Attica Basin, such as Eleonas, will be gradually upgraded and will obtain a modern european image, thanks to the existing Metro works and the new projects. (ATTIKO METRO S.A. has recently completed the conceptual design for the future construction of the new, contemporary Central Intercity Bus Terminal (close to Eleonas Metro Depot),
- The exposure of our cultural heritage at the new Metro Stations and in the surrounding area,
- the redevelopment of the squares which are currently occupied for project construction purposes.
All the benefits mentioned above will contribute to the upgrading of the western suburbs of Athens.
PROGRESS OF CONSTRUCTION WORKS
Tunnel boring, in order to have works expedited, was carried out concurrently from various access fronts apprortioned uniformly along the entire length of the tunnel.
Based on this structure, works related to the temporary boring of 4 650m of the tunnel, i.e. the total length of the line along with the section of the access shaft to the depot in the area of Eleonas were completed. At the same time, the permanent tunnel lining made of reinforced concrete is under construction and approximately 70% has been completed.
- VOTANIKOS Station constitutes the first metro extension and it is constructed using the cut & cover method. Today, concreting works of the permanent lining made of reinforced concrete is at a completion stage (95% of the total has already been completed)
- Works related to the construction of ELEONAS Station advance at a rapid pace and until the present day excavation works and the reinforced concrete permanent lining of the station tunnel underneath Iera Odos using the NATM method have been completed. Moreover, concreting of the central shaft has progressed by 50%.
- EGALEO Station consitutes the last station of this extension where significant excavation finds were revealed.Works related to the construction of the Station are at an advanced construction phase: already, works related to the excavation and the temporary retaining of the shaft as well as works related to the excavation and the reinforced concrete permanent lining of the station tunnel have already been completed.
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES
The boring of the tunnel at many sections of the project and especially underneath Iera Odos was a significant technical challenge.
- For the construction of the project tunnel, the Metro needed to pass underneath Kifissos river.Despite the problems, construction works have progressed successfully until the present day and this is an indication of the construction skills and the experience gained so far by the greek technical companies, but also of the competence and the capacity of ATTIKO METRO S.A. in addressing difficult and complicated projects, such as the Athens Metro.
- In the wider area of VOTANIKOS Station, namely at VOTANIKOS Station – Assomaton Shaft tunnel section, the occurrence of overlying ancient wells and other antiquities played a particularly crucial role during the execution of the underground construction works, which was finally addressed successfully.
LINE 3 NEW EXTENSION
The Metro continues to extend and ATTIKO METRO S.A. late October 2004 announced a call for tender for the additional Line 3 extension to the Municipality of Aghia Marina (Haidari), a project whose cost estimate amounts to 200 million euros.
It is an extension approximately 1,5 km long with the addition of a new Station within the limits of Aghia Marina (Haidari) Station, which is to serve the needs of the wider area of Egaleo, Aghia Marina (Haidari), Aghia Varvara as well as the Hospital of Infectious Deseases, Attiko Hospital and Dromokaitio Hospital.
The four preselected companies submitted on September 22nd 2005 their financial offer for the project and, as soon as the procedure related to the filing of objections is completed, the Tender procedure will be at its final completion stage .
The project is estimated to be completed in 2008 concurrently with the construction of AGHIA MARINA (HAIDARI) Station a Transfer Station will be constructed in the same place, where there will be a car park with an approximate 380-car capacity.
Finally, the same procurement includes the construction of a new Metro Depot for the needs of Line 3 in the area of Eleonas.
The ridership of AGHIA MARINA (HAIDARI) Station is estimated at 30 000 passengers on a daily basis. Thanks to the Metro they will have the possibility to reach not only the city center but also the International Airport ELEFTHERIOS VENIZELOS in 40 minutes in a comfortable, safe and reliable manner.
LINE 3 FUTURE EXTENSION
The planning for the works related to Metro Line 3 extension do not include only the extension to AGHIA MARINA (HAIDARI). Line 3 extension to Piraeus is already an imperative need in order to serve and upgrade other “untended” areas of the western suburbs such as Aghia Varvara, Korydallos, Nikaia, Tambouria etc, but also the wider area of Piraeus where three new Stations are to be constructed (Piraeus,Municipal Theatre,Zea).
ATTIKO METRO S.A. will soon complete the planning of the extension from AGHIA MARINA (HAIDARI) to ZEA,8 km long with 7 new Stations, which will radically change the daily life of the citizens in the western suburbs.
The operation of the new Metro Line will contribute to the upgrading of the areas which are not within easy reach of the city center.
With this extension, Metro Line 3 will exceed the length of 48 km (including 20.7km of the line shared with the suburban railway leading to the Airport) with 25 contemporary stations.
YPEHODE and ATTIKO METRO S.A. aim at ensuring the necessary resource as well as at completing the extension at the beginning of the next decade.
