Delays to affect the renovation of metro line M3 due to the war?!

Shortage of materials and a significant price explosion as a result of the war might cause delays to affect the renovation of metro line M3. Still, the recently completed three metro stations will soon be open to passengers.

From May, passengers will be able to use three of the stations under renovation.

Metro stations Kálvin Square, Corvin District and Semmelweis Clinics will soon be handed over for passengers to use again.

As of yet, these have not been affected by the impossibility of obtaining steel materials previously supplied from Ukraine and the significant increase in transport costs.

The middle section – including six more stations – is scheduled to be completed by 26 January 2023. Due to renovation works, these stations will be closed to passengers for eight weeks during the summer period.

At the joint press conference held by BKK and BKV recently, it was mentioned that they would have discussions with the contractors regarding the early handover and the possibility of putting Deák Square station into operation by the end of this year, reported the Hungarian news portal Index.

According to the managing director of SWIETELSKY Magyarország Ltd., the company in charge of the renovation of metro line M3, this approach is too optimistic, considering the ongoing war situation. It is not yet known what the Ukrainian crisis will cause in the next year, or whether the shortage of materials and the price explosion will cause difficulties in the implementation of the project.

The company is already feeling the effects of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

On one construction site, for example, the increase in the price of reinforced steel meant an extra HUF 300,000,000 (~EUR 795,200). Furthermore, another construction project had to be temporarily stopped due to changes in the price of materials.

In addition to the current difficulties, the big challenge of the M3 renovation project is that it involves rebuilding an existing 40-year-old infrastructure, which has so far been fraught with complications. During the five years of reconstruction, many unforeseen problems and complications have been encountered, but they were all successfully managed. One of these was the discovery of building materials, insulation, and cladding with previously unknown asbestos content, which had to be dismantled and removed according to strict rules. This resulted not only in a significant increase in costs but also in remarkable delays.

Regarding the three stations due to be opened soon, the manager points out that the first journey on the renovated section may not be such a “wow” experience like on a newly-built metro line. Still, the innovative structural elements and equipment – including the first inclined elevators in Hungary – will certainly make these stations some of the most modern in Europe, reported Magyar Építők.

Source: index.hu, magyarepitok.hu