The works for the construction of Thessaloniki Metro extension to Kalamaria, the first extension of the Base Line currently constructed, are set to begin in autumn 2012. At the same time, ATTIKO METRO S.A. is in the process of planning the extensions to the western suburbs of Thessaloniki in order to take advantage of the next Community Support Framework (CSF) which is dedicated to environmental-friendly and innovative projects.
The Project of the Metro extension to Kalamaria was presented by Mr. Christos Tsitouras, ATTIKO METRO S.A. Chairman and Managing Director, during a press conference given in Kalamaria Municipal Council conference room. The presentation was attended by Mr. Yiannis Magriotis, Deputy Minister of YPIMEDI, Mr. Yiannis Economides, Secretary General of Public Works, Mr. Dimosthenis Bakoglidis, Mayor of Kalamaria, and by Mr. Dimosthenis Sariyiannis, Deputy Mayor of Technical Services, Civil Protection and Environment.
The presentation was also attended by Mr. George Konstantinidis, Manager of Thessaloniki Metro Projects Department, and other ATTIKO METRO S.A. executives, as well as by Mr. Michael Simas, Manager of the Contracting Joint Venture currently constructing the Metro Base Line.
Responding to questions addressed by journalists, the Deputy Minister of YPIMEDI highlighted the accelerated rate of the Metro construction works, adding that the commitments made by the Ministry and the company approximately one year ago are now realized by putting into tender the phase B’ of the Kalamaria extension project.
Mr. Magriotis pointed out the intense efforts towards securing funds for the extension to Kalamaria, a project which was finally incorporated in the relevant program of the Ministry of Environment.
“It is worth mentioning that while the Metro extension to Kalamaria is constructed using EU funds by 85% and only the remaining 15% is funded by a low-interest loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the opposite is true with the Base Line funding scheme where only 328 million Euros out of the approximately one billion Euros budget of the Project are drawn from the Central Macedonia Operational Program”.
The Deputy Minister predicted that the Kalamaria extension shall be constructed in a period of less than 60 months, adding that an extra advantage from the construction of this specific Project is the construction of 1/3 of Pontou street extension, given that ATTIKO METRO S.A. shall pay the indemnifications corresponding to the portions of the street affected by the Metro works.
In a short speech, Mr. Dimosthenis Bakoglidis, Mayor of Kalamaria, stated the following:
“The Metro Project is the most important environmental and development infrastructure project in the area of Thessaloniki and the most extensive public work currently executed in Greece.
We are pleased that today all obstacles are removed for the implementation of the Metro extension to Kalamaria both formally and in essence, since the relevant tender documents have been picked up by the pre-selected bidders.
As a result of the cooperation among the Ministry of YPIMEDI, ATTIKO METRO S.A. and Kalamaria Municipality, the expectations of the residents of Kalamaria, as well as those of the residents of the wider Thessaloniki area for a better quality of life are materialized”.
Mr. Christos Tsitouras, ATTIKO METRO S.A. Chairman and Managing Director, stressed that the funding for the extension Project has been secured and that this Project will serve a densely populated area of Thessaloniki urban web. This Project is expected to be completed within the foreseen deadlines, since no delays are anticipated due to archaeological investigations.
Bidders and Time Schedule
The four bidders entitled to proceed to Phase B’ (final phase) of the Tender, who have already received the tender documents, are the following, namely:
- Company: “AKTOR ATE”
- Joint Venture: “AEGEK KATASKEVASTIKI – IMPREGILO – SELI – ANSALDO STS”
- Joint Venture: “ΤΕRΝΑ Α.Ε. – ALPINE BAU GMBH – FCC CONSTRUCCION S.A. ”
- Joint Venture: “J&P – AVAX Α.Ε. – GHELLA S.P.A. – ALSTOM TRANSPORT S.A”
The aforesaid bidders should have submitted their offers until May 21st 2012. The offers will have been evaluated by summer, and, as estimated by the Management of the Company, by early autumn, the contract will have been signed and the Contractor will have been installed on-site the Project.
Replying to relevant questions addressed by journalists, Mr. Tsitouras added that the construction works of the Extension will have been completed in a 60-month period, and even earlier, since the duration for the completion of the construction activities constitutes one of the criteria for the selection of the Contractor.
The Extension to Kalamaria will add 4.8 km of line and 5 stations to both 9.6 km of line and the 13 stations of the Thessaloniki Metro Base Project. This Extension will gradually provide the city of Thessaloniki with a Metro Network, since there are provisions for the construction of two Westbound Extensions, namely Toumba – Charilaou Line, as well as one Extension to the Airport “Makedonia”. These new extensions are at different design stages.
The budget of the Project
The Extension to Kalamaria, whose budget amounts to million Euro, is a Project that will be completed on the basis of the design-construction method, as the case is with Thessaloniki Metro Base Project.
The aforesaid amount comprises the construction cost, amounting to approximately 425 million Euro, the expropriations cost and the cost related to E / M systems, to designs and management. The subject Project has been incorporated into the National Strategic Reference Framework (ESPA) and is co-funded by the Cohesion Fund with the amount of 400 million Euro.
This specific Extension starts from PATRIKIOS Station that belongs to the Base Line and follows Solonos, Kritis, Moschonission, Mitropoliti Kydoniaion and Pontou Streets, while it terminates at the junction of Pontou and Ikaron Streets just before the Perimeter trench.
The five stations of the Extension shall be: NOMARCHIA, KALAMARIA, ARETSOU, NEA KRINI and MICRA.
The Project includes two single track tunnels, three cross sections, two of which are incorporated into MICRA Station, and one forestation. The scope of this project also includes the relevant infrastructures for the future extension of the Line to the Airport and the connection with the Transfer Station at MICRA Station, while 1,600 new job positions will be created during the construction period of the Project.
As concerns the benefits to derive from the operation of the Extension to Kalamaria, Mr Tsitouras stressed that the daily ridership is estimated to 76,000 passengers, a number that will correspond to the 25% of the overall ridership. Once the Metro – an environment-friendly project – becomes operational, the number of vehicles will be reduced by approximately 20,000, leading to a significant reduction in carbon dioxide.
