NORTH TUNNEL BORER OF METRO 4 REACHED NÉPSZÍNHÁZ STREET AS WELL – FOLLOWING MAINTENANCE TUNNEL WORKS MAY CONTINUE WITH THE LAST SECTION

This morning the north TBM of metro 4 arrived to the Népszínház Street station also, its south pair broke through the stop’s wall on 12th April. The second last tunnel section of some 450 meters has been built with no problems so far. Following the maintenance as usual at this time, machines may likely proceed in the first half of May towards the last, Keleti pályaudvar station. If everything goes by the plans and BAMCO can keep up this pace, then the tunnel works may end over the first section of the metro sometime in the second half of June.

The south TBM set off from Rákóczi Square station at the beginning of March and completed the stretch to Népszínház Street in five weeks. Its north pair could start the tunnel building a few days later. In contrast to Buda the Pest side is being built with a pace so planned, despite the fact that the soil conditions are much more various in this part, than that the tunnel builders were used to on the other side of the Danube. Specialists do not expect major difficulties, albeit – as noted earlier by DBR – the tunnel borers leave the clayey soil over the section before the railway station. They will pass gavel stratum at some places over the last 150 m of the also 450 m stretch, which will require special preparatory works and higher attention.

Budapest, 21st April 2010

DBR Metro Project Directorate