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New Metro Station On Friday

The upcoming opening of Aghia Paraskevi Metro station, one of the few positive news in 2010, is not enough to offset the serious problems that the transit train system faces.
According to the initial schedule, a total amount of 10 new Metro stations should have been operating in Attica since the summer of 2009. However, only two of them –in Nomismatokopio and Holargos- do actually operate and another one is about to start on Friday in Aghia Paraskevi.
Currently, the schedule for the completion of the Metro stations in Argiroupoli, Alimos, Elliniko, Ilioupoli, Peristeri, Anthoupoli and Haidari is pending. Siemens case is a negative catalyst to the project due to its involvement in cases of bribery of Greek officials. The system of electrification and signaling of the metro stations currently under construction uses Siemens’s technology.
Given that the proposal of modification of the already installed systems had been rejected because of its cost, the project will probably use Siemens’s system, according to sources. However, the approval by the Special Permanent Committee on Institutions and Transparency might be needed, bringing new delay of three to eight months.
Regarding the extension of Metro from Haidari to Piraeus, the agreement of the project, budgeted at 515 million euro, is expected to be signed in June 2011, as the Minister of Infrastructure, Dimitris Reppas committed. However, this project is also subject to the developments of the Siemens case.
The final design of Attiko Metro’s Line 4, to be tendered in 2011, would cover the route from Veikou Park to Evangelismos with three extensions, according to Ministry’s plans:
– To Vyronas, Hymettus
– From Veikou Park to Perissos
– From Maroussi to Likovrisi
The total length of this line will be 33km, consisting of 29 stations and the total cost is estimated at 3.3 billion euro. The implementation of section Veikou Park – Evangelismos, which will start firstly, requires the funding of one billion euro, which will be sought from the European Investment Bank.
The main Line of Thessaloniki Metro, unless new problems arise due to archaeological findings, is expected to be completed by 2015, while as recently indicated by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Yiannis Magriotis, the contractor for network expansion to Kalamaria will be announced in late 2011 or early 2012. The route to Kalamaria is budgeted at 425 million euro, consisting of five new stations, total length 4.8 km

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