he Press and Public Relations Office of PEHODE has issued the following statement:
The Minister of PEHODE, Mr. George Souflias delivered to the public the new Metro Station at Nomismatokopio and made the following statements:
“Nomismatokopio Metro Station is delivered to the public and the Metro tunnel section to the Airport resumes its operation. From now on, passengers will again be able to travel by Metro to the Airport and to the intermediate stations (HALANDRI, DOUKISSIS PLAKENTIAS, PALLINI, PAIANIA/KANTZA, KOROPI, AIRPORT) as well as to use the new Metro Station at NOMISMATOKOPIO.
The fact that the Metro tunnel was constructed with absolutely no provision for AGHIA PARASKEVI Station was a structural outrage and a worldwide first that forced us deal with an extremely difficult technical challenge in June 2004. It was inevitable to interrupt the operation of the Metro in order to construct AGHIA PARASKEVI Station. At an intensive pace, we designed, put to tender and constructed the box of AGHIA PARASKEVI Station, inducing a minimal in terms of time disturbance to the passengers.
Although it was an extremely difficult technical project, thanks to out systematic efforts and sparing flashy words we succeeded in winning the battle against time and managed to re-commission Metro Line to the Airport within a very strict time schedule, proving the fallacy of all those who anticipated major delays.
At the same time, we completed the construction of NOMISMATOKOPIO Station and by December 2009 we will have completed the construction of HOLARGOS Station. Today, we deliver NOMISMATOKOPIO Station, the first of ten new Stations of the Athens Metro to be commissioned in the following 10 months.
The distance from NOMISMATOKOPIO to the city center (Syntagma) will be covered in only 10 minutes, while, in rush hours, it takes at least 40 minutes to travel the same distance by car.
For this reason, we constructed at the surface level of the Station the largest Bus/Metro Transfer Station, in order render the Metro system easily accessible to the residents of the adjacent Municipalities as well as of Messogia. The Transfer Station will be delivered to the public in 15 days.
Moreover, we early foresaw the need for and constructed a major 3-level underground parking area with a capacity of 630 parking places, enabling thus the residents of the adjacent Municipalities and the eastern suburbs of Attica region to easily and safely park their cars at Nomismatokopio and continue their trip with the speed and comfort offered by the metro system. This large parking facility will be delivered to the public by the end of the month, while one of its levels will be delivered within 15 days.
Leaving aside the exceptional architectural and aesthetical aspects of the station’s interior and exterior, we point out that this station constitutes a major transportation junction, where the Metro system is seamlessly combined with other modes of transport (buses and cars), providing high quality services and comfortable trips to 30, 000 passengers on a daily basis.
In addition, concurrently with the resuming of operation of the Line to the Airport, we made the relevant provisions and we are constructing two open air parking areas with a capacity of 250 parking places each, at Koropi and Kantza Stations. These two parking facilities will accommodate the residents of the southern and eastern areas of Attica region. The first parking area (at Koropi) will be delivered to the public on September 20th and the second one (at Kantza) by the end of the September.
The large parking facility at Nomismatokopio as well as the above two parking areas at Koropi and Kantza will be incorporated into the AMEL’s pricing policy, according to which the Metro passengers enjoy a 50% discount on the parking fee upon demonstration of a valid ticket.
The largest front of Metro works in Greece
Undoubtedly, the Metro constitutes the most important transportation and environmental project in Attica region and, for this reason, we at PEHODE made the development of this project our top priority. In the last 5,5 years all available funds for the transport infrastructure in Athens were channeled, on a priority basis, to the Metro extensions, which are implemented at a very rapid pace, since we managed to double the rate of the Metro construction works compared to the period before 2004.
We have a comprehensive Transport Plan. Through the implementation of Metro works as well as through the construction of regional road axes, we intend to eliminate traffic congestion and air pollution from the neighborhoods of Athens.
We implement a thorough policy in order to improve the environment of the capital city, a policy which is based on specific major projects as well as on highly effective measures, setting aside any demagogic practices, sterile refusals and meaningless magical solutions employed by petty politics and other interests.
We currently implement, with no flashy words but with hard work, the largest front of Metro works in Greece. HOLARGOS Station will be delivered in December and AGHIA PARASKEVI Station early next summer.
In a few months, by the end of 2009, we put an end to the isolation of the western Suburbs of Athens, through the commissioning of new Stations at PERISTERI, ANTHOUPOLI and AGHIA MARINA (HAIDARI). By next spring four more Municipalities of the Attica Basin will have also acquired modern Metro Stations (ILIOUPOLI, ALIMOS, ARGYROUPOLI AND HELLINIKO).
The tender related to the Metro extension from Aghia Marina (Haidari) to Piraeus with the construction of Stations at AGHIA VARVARA, KORYDALLOS, NIKEA as well as with three Stations at Piraeus (MANIATIKA, PIRAEUS, DIMOTIKO THEATRO), where 6 consortia/technical firms claim the construction of the project, budgeted at 515 million euros, is in progress.
The Metro Line in the shape of a horseshoe (Line U), with 20 stations and 20 km of underground line, from Galatsi to Maroussi through Panepistimio and Pagrati, will be soon put to tender.This Line is anticipated to alter dramatically the transportation map of Athens and to upgrade life in Attica Basin.
