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WITH HELMET IN METRO 4
Motorcycle wondering conference was held by Harley Davidson cyclists at the end of May with this inscription “Development of transport in Hungary”. The three days event was opened by fifty motorcycles and there were around one hundred of visitors at the Bocskai road station of metro 4 where they were presented with the history and future of the metro building, and with the technological curiosities.
The “tender motorcyclists” have organized several similar tours home and abroad on interesting subjects, this year’s event is about the railway, shipping, flying and of course about the metro.
The first station of the wondering conference on Friday was the metro 4 and the Bocskai road station where the personnel of the Swietelsky contractor have shown the almost 91% finished station to the visitors after the professional tour, then they walked through the tunnel to Móricz Zsigmond Square with safety escort.
THE BEST TUNNEL BUILDING EXPERTS ARRIVED TO BUDAPEST
About one thousand experts arrived on the weekend to Budapest from 53 countries to the Congress Centre in order to get in known with the Hungarian civil engineering projects and to share the professional experiences among themselves in this year’s Tunnel Building World Congress. The four days Conference has given the possibility to present simultaneously the applied technologies and the methods that facilitate the safety of the tunnels to be built at one section under the Danube and the built-in surface of metro 4.
Hungary was awarded by the World Organization of the professional tunnel building, the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association with the organization law to hold this year the Tunnel Building World Congress. According to Kocsonya Pál information president of the Hungarian Tunnel Building Association and that of the organizational committee of the Congress, the world’s most eminent experts from 53 countries have arrived in Budapest to share their experiences among themselves, and to get in known with the Hungarian tunneling projects – amongst other things the grandiose tunnel system of Bátaapáti, the underground sections of M6 Motorway simultaneously with the tunnels of metro 4. In the life of a two million metropolis, the transport especially, that of the rail mounted transportation system development is inevitable. Due to the high density of building the demand for mitigating the surface load - more present as a trend –has diverted the attention worldwide toward the tunnel building over the last few years.
SERVICING OF THE BORING MACHINE DEPLOYS TO GELLÉRT SQUARE, BUT BUILDING WORKS OF THE EXIT COMMENCE TOO
For the building works of the metro 4 tunnel section under the Danube and at the Pest side, the equipment servicing the TBM will move from Etele Square to Szent Gellért Square, where building of the station and the excavator shaft will continue as well, and building of the exit will commence too. The works will require closure of the Műegyetem quay way from 25th May 2009 to expectedly September 2010. However, the lower quay way will be useable all along during the period of closure.
Works of the Szent Gellért Square station built by BAMCO consortium and utility replacements were completed with the closure of the Műegyetem quay way. Following the completion of the top floor slab in 2007 the upper quay way with 2x1 lanes was handed over to the traffic, but in the summer of 2008 during the eight weeks closure then the building of the excavator shaft progressed significantly. Building works to the excavator shaft and exit of the station are carried out by SWIETELSKY Magyarország Kft.. From the surface a wide stairway will lead to the entrance hall of the underpass, and from there the station will be accessible by an excavator. The pedestrian area at the surface will receive decorative paving. Accessibility for handicapped passengers will be provided by the elevators planned next to the fence of the University of Technology. From here the station’s gallery level may be accessed on an ancillary stairway as well, from where the underground garage planned under the Műegyetem quay way will be accessible through a pedestrian passage.
METRO GATES OPENED UP: WE GIVE YOU THE HELMET, YOU BRING YOUR CARDIGAN
This year again Metro 4 joined the “Urbitális Majális” show-series: DBR Metro Project Directorate of BKV Zrt., Strabag and Hídépítő opened up the gates of the constructions at Szent Gellért Square and Fővám Square, where the residents of Budapest guided by professionals were able to view the tunneling shields under the ground by 30 m and from below the Danube river-bed as well as the two deepest and most grandiose stations of the new metro line.
In 30 days nearly 200 cultural programs are awaiting the visitors at the “Urbitális Majális” this year, at the center of which the Danube gets the attention this year, and most of the shows and site visits are located close to or on the river. From 1st to 31st of May the “Big City Festival” allows an insight to the backstage of the big city life this year as well, with helping the people of Budapest to step out of everyday life for some moments and see their city from a completely different angel. The organizers enthused over the success of last year’s event anticipated several ten thousands of visitors to the program series.
THE PICTURE OF M4
About the financing
The overall budget of the first section comprising 10 stations, which relieves the downtown area and connects Kelenföld with Baross Square, i.e. south Buda with north Pest, is equivalent to 353 milliard Forints, which already includes inflation of recent years, associated surface investments, costs for the vehicle depot and trains, and the contingencies from the European Union as well.
Financing is the joint task of the Hungarian State and the city of Budapest with a proportion of 79 and 21%. The Cohesion fund aid request for the project refers to this firs section costing 353 milliard Forints for now. The accountable project cost is 292 milliard Forints, regarding that the aid refers to payments after 20th December 2006 only. Under the aid application the beneficiary city of Budapest requested a maximum amount of 224 milliard Forints from the European.
TUNNEL BORING MACHINES OF METRO 4 SET OFF ON THE WAY UNDER THE DANUBE
This morning the south TBM of metro 4 has started building the tunnel section stretching under the Danube. Expectedly it will work for 4 to 6 weeks under the river, and as soon as it gets over to the Pest side, its north pair will set off too. In the following weeks the equipment servicing the TBM will move from Etele Square to Szent Gellért Square, where in parallel the building works of the station will continue as well, and building of the exit will commence too.
TBM's preparation of several weeks for the stretch under the Danube has ended, which was slowed down by the dispute with the tunnel builder BAMCO consortium so occurred in the meantime. Maintenance of the machines was finished by 18th May following the restart of works, thus the south TBM could set off to one of the most exciting sections of the new metro line. Boring under the river is a bigger challenge than usual, but based on the preliminary soil investigations the tunneling work will proceed with the same pace and safety here too, than in normal conditions and under built-up surface.
RÁKÓCZI SQUARE STATION HAS GIVEN PLACE TO CHARITABLE CONCERT
Unique charitable concert was given more than 20 meters depth under the ground by the Keep Floyding band on Friday evening at the Rákóczi Square station of metro 4 to be built. The initiative was favoured and supported by Swietelsky, DBR and the British band who brought the music into our country and has offered the total amount of money from the ticket income to the disabled Reménysugár band of Dombovár. The total amount of money gathered was 200 thousand Hungarian forints.
The fabulous idea of the concert that was held under extraordinary backstage has arose last autumn when talking about the underground theatre, and when the Tribute band of Budapest was looking for a unique place to the spherical music of the legendary British band for the concert held in spring, the station building project company of the mother company, the Swietelsky Magyarország Kft. claimed to support the initiative at its own expense. The Pink Floyd held its concert in the Pompeii Hall of ruin in the 70s, Keep Floyding did also want to held its concert in a similar grandiose place to play their most-known pieces. The 400 tickets were sold just over 24 hours.
DECISION TO BE MADE SOON ON THE AID APPLICATION CONCERNING METRO 4 – CONTRACTS ARE CONCLUDED ACCORDING TO THE REGULATIONS OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT LAW
Soon positive decision may be made about the aid application of metro 4 of the Cohesion Fund. Negotiations are still ongoing, there are not official numbers yet, however, based on the news previous comments were proved to be unsubstantial, as per which the project may not receive the aid or only a fraction of the required amount. The EU’s Committee responsible has asked more information in the process of decision-making on the aid application about contracts made before the project became a European project in order to decide whether they also satisfy the requirements of the EU competition law. If not, the amount may reduce the total amount of the aid. But the fact is that these contracts were also concluded according to the regulations of the public procurement law, in compliance with the national rules in force.
The financing of the new metro line is ensured without the support, it is a matter of common concern of the Hungarian government and the city of Budapest in 79 and 21% percentage. The aid application of the Cohesion Fund shall apply to the first section that costs 353 milliard Forints. Eligible project cost is 292 milliard Forints having regard to the fact that the aid applies only to the payments after 20th December 2006. In the aid application, the beneficiary city of Budapest has asked from the European Union maximum 224 milliard Forints.
EXCLUSIVE EXHIBITION OPENED AT THE BOCSKAI ROAD STATION OF METRO 4
Exclusive exhibition opened with the initiative of Újbuda Municipality and its organization at the Bocskai road station of metro 4. Within the frame of the initiative realized with the support of DBR Metro Project Directorate and SWIETELSKY Magyarország Kft. contractor to the station, the district as being well concerned by the project would like to present the most interesting moments of the metro construction through the paintings and photos of five artists. BKV – joining the exhibition – pictures the background and future of the metro transport: beyond the photographs of the Underground Railway Museum of Deák Square, the visitors can also have a look behind the stage on the building of the station with the help of experts.
The exhibition was opened this afternoon by Molnár Gyula mayor of Újbuda Municipality of Budapest, District 11, then Klados Gusztáv, the project director of the DBR greeted the initiative, Fridrich Gyula, the project manager of Swietelsky Magyarország Kft. gave a speech on the building station, last but not least Sulyok Miklós, historian of art has presented the works of art. The exhibitions regarding the archive tableau of BKV and its future viewer can be seen at the entrance, the paintings of Takáts Márton, as well as, photographs of Németh András, Vanik Zoltán, Görög András and Tóth Gyula can be viewed this evening in a „separate room” of the station, the future work room, then from tomorrow, i.e. from 1 to 17 of May, between 12 and 6 pm. every day. The exhibition can be approached from the pedestrian underpass of Fehérvár and Bocskai road intersection.
TUNNELING WORKS OF METRO 4 CONTINUE – PARTIES SETTLE THE DISPUTE WITHIN CONTRACTUAL LEGAL FRAMES
BAMCO consortium continues works, after DBR Metro Project Directorate retained its previous position at the last day of negotiations held with participation of the leaders of BKV and the city of Budapest. As this morning the Project Supervisory Board comprising the leaders of the city of Budapest was informed by DBR that the parties agreed to settle the disputed issues within the legal frames provided by the contract, and the tunnel builder forthwith takes steps needed to proceed with works as soon as possible.
BAMCO consortium led by the French owned Vinci and comprising the Austrian Strabag and the Hungarian Hídépítő suspended tunnel building and other works done by the company on 14th April, after its claim of 35 milliard Ft was not fulfilled by DBR Metro Project Directorate within the 30 days timeline noted under its letter. The Client deemed the claim being without merit, and called upon the consortium to proceed with works immediately, otherwise envisaged termination of the 62 milliard Ft contract.