The fourth metro line was talked about in Prague already under the previous regime. It seems the year 2020 will finally bring a breakthrough in this matter. What is currently the largest construction pit with a depth of 36 meters and a diameter of 21 meters was dug at Pankrác. Inside, workers began to excavate the adit that will form the basis for the first tunnel of the future Metro D.
The line of the future metro D should lead from Náměstí Míru to Depot Písnice, it will have 10 stations and should be about 10 kilometers long. The metro should be automated and unattended, meaning no driver will be required.
Just like in Asia
Prague will thus catch up with the most advanced metropolises of the world, where it's quite common that a metro operates without a driver. This fun's not for free, though. At this point, the costs are expected to be around 72 billion crowns and they'll keep increasing. According to current plans, the first passengers could board the D-line at the end of 2027.
So far it sounds like a sci-fi scenario, because up to this pooint, the workers have excavated only three meters of the first tunnel between the stations Pankrác and Olbrachtova. It is nine meters high and 5.5 meters wide. However, seven years is a long time and state-of the-art-technology has been deployed for this contract, including a tower crane with the largest rated capacity. It is visible from afar from all directions.
Luxusní byt na prodej Smíchov - Praha 5, Praha 5
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St. Barbara
The work that started at the beginning of the New Year is still running smoothly.
"No wonder it's going well, with Saint Barbara watching over us,"
the men in yellow vests smile. The statuette was consecrated before Christmas. St. Barbara is supposed to look after the miners and builders who, together with their wooden guardian, will descend into a 120-feet pit.
Open in gallery (1)
Svatá Barbora dohlíží na všechny dělníky. Source: archiv DPP
Although the work is going according to plan, the geological conditions in this area are complicated, which is why adits were excavated, enabling for the most suitable building technology to be used. The geologists are conducting surveys at four places, two of which will be wrapped up next summer. Surveys at the other two places will continue until the summer of 2021.
According to Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy, work continues as planned. 30.12. the application for a building permit for metro D in the section Pankrác - Nové dvory was submitted. Subsequently, a public procurement contract for the contractor of the first section, i.e. two stations, Pankrác-D and Olbrachtova, and a connecting tunnel between these stations, was announced.
