THROUGH OPEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE DBR IS LOOKING FOR A NEW PR AGENCY – ITS TASKS WILL INCLUDE FULFILLING COMMUNICATION RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

DBR issued a new open public procurement procedure for the provision of communication and public relations tasks in relation with the construction of metro 4. A year ago DBR informed the public that for the implementation of communication tasks of the European Union the company plans to amend the contract ending this year and increase the budget against the project's reserve. In the meantime, however, it became clear that the handover of the first section would occur at least two years later than planned, so a new contract is needed, and the competition law of the European Union - as the PR contract is part of the package supported - would rather prefer open competition. The contract of support and the associated agreements specify elements of the communication obligation in detail. Realization of these would be the primary task of the new PR agency over the next three years. The announcement has been issued in the official journal of the European Union today.

MIND THE GAP! IN METRO 4

The Tétényi Road station of metro 4 was the venue of a unique cultural event with the title of "Mind the Gap!" on the evening of May 14th. Now DBR Metro Project Directorate provided only the special location, even though the event is part of the series of cultural events of the metro builders began last year.

ON BOTH VENUES THE GROUPS OF THE M4 OPEN DAY ARE FILLED – DBR IS WAITING THOSE WHO COULD NOT GET PLACE IN THE GROUPS FOR THE THETRE PLAY AND THE CONCERT

By Friday morning all groups of the M4 open day were filled on both venues, the interest exceeded the usual scale of last years. On Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm in the frame of the Urbitális Picnic the site visits will be continuous to both the Móricz Zsigmond circus and the Keleti pályaudvar stations – complying with all the safety requirements – DBR will provide professional guidance for groups of 10 people departing in every 10 minutes. Places are filled also for the Gomba-exhibition and the subsequent presentations beginning at 9 am in Újbuda, but the exhibition may be viewed throughout the day. The organizers are waiting those also who could not get a place in the registered groups for the evening's charity programs: for the irregular show of the Vígszínház starting at 5 pm and for the concert of the Kis Kretív Band of 7 pm.

THIS YEAR AGAIN METRO DOORS OPEN FOR THE RESIDENTS – EXHIBITIONS, CHARITY THEATRE PLAYS AND CONCERTS ARE AWAITING VISITORS

DBR Metro Project Directorate organizes an open day combined with unique cultural events on 2nd May 2010, i.e. for this Sunday. The whole day event will start with a special exhibition in the morning, and continue with professional presentations, and then this year the metro doors open before the residents at two stations under construction. Finally the evening will have a casual atmosphere, as the visitors may participate in an unordinary charity theatre play and a charity concert, at an extreme venue, more than 20 m deep. DBR and the organizers’ team are waiting for everyone with the programs from 9 am to 9 pm.

DBR HAS WON LAWSUITS AGINST BLIKK

First instance the Municipal Court upheld the DBR Metro Project Directorate’s action and ordered the tabloid newspaper of Blikk for corrections with reference of three articles. DBR regrets that it had to turn to court with these issues, but unfortunately in recent weeks the newspaper posted factual errors in almost all of its articles on the metro 4 project despite the fact that DBR provides prompt and open communication on all issues – including negative events as well.
Budapest, 22nd April 2010

DURING THE NIGHT THE EXPERTS FIXED THE HOLE OCCURRED ON THE TUNNEL – THE CONCERNED AREA IS KEPT UNDER ICREASED MONITORING

There will be post-works, but during the night in operation stop the experts repaired the hole occurred on the wall of metro 2 and stopped the ground water seepage, so this dawn trains could start and run with no speed restriction. Cause of the technical problem is being investigated by the DBR Metro Project Directorate. The tunnel borers will likely pass under the overpass in one and a half months, the technical problem occurred during the preparatory works. The temporary disturbance does not concern the metro construction.

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.

QUICK NEWS

At Baross Square during the strengthening of the pillar of the Rottenbiller Road overpass one of the subcontractors of BAMCO damaged the wall of one of the metro 2 tunnels during pile boring. These works are part of the preparatory works to the TBM’s passing later. DBR’s responsible engineer is at the site, has suspended works and inspects the scale of the damage. No personal injury occurred, there is no life threatening risk, however the engineer assesses whether the damage can be fixed with maintaining traffic on metro line 2.

QUICK NEWS

DBR’s responsible engineer inspects the tunnel of metro 2 on site. There is no need to stop the metro, the 10x10 cm hole occurred on the side wall of the tunnel does not call for emergency, some ground water seepage is noted, but only speed restriction shall be expected on the line. The hole occurred will be repaired by the experts at night, during operation stop, the situation does not mean further hazard and does not concern the progress of metro construction.

SOUTH TUNNEL BORER OF METRO 4 ALREADY ARRIVED TO NÉPSZÍNHÁZ STREET – IT MAY REACH KELETI RAILWAY STATION BY MID JUNE

South TBM of metro 4 made it one week earlier than planned to the second last, Népszínház Street station. Instead of the previously predicted preparation of six weeks the tunnel builder plans only two to three weeks of maintenance period at the station, so at the end of April the tunnel borer may commence the works of the last section. If everything goes by the plans and BAMCO can keep up this pace, then the south TBM may reach the first section's temporary, Keleti pályaudvar end station even at the middle of June

THE SUPPORT FOR METRO 4 REMAINS HIGH – FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN BUDAPEST IT IS STILL IMPORTANT THAT THE NEW METRO LINES ARE CONSTRUCTED

The support for the underground construction remains high

The most recent representative survey data has not changed significantly, it remains near 80% the proportion of those who believe that the metro construction is important or essential. The public clearly expects and supports the Metro 4.

DBR HAS FOUND A SOLUTION: WILL NOT STOP THE BUILDING FROM APRIL – THE CLIENT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENGINEERING TASKS

The DBR Metro Project Directorate temporarily take over the Metro 4 FIDIC -operating- engineering functions from Eurometro until a decision on the long-term solution is found. Under a proposal, the DBR would use their own employed engineers from the previous organization, who were taking care of the main tasks of the construction at the different locations, and would tender to fill up the missing personnel. This is a more cost-effective solution rather than the proposed changes to the contract, and could provide the continuality of the work safety and quality control, and the contracts would be fulfilled as well. The former engineer organization was also an independent engineering, since it has been pursuant to the declaration of EU payments. This temporary role of the independent engineering would be taken over by that financial company, which is currently on a similar task for the BKV Supervisory Committee. The possibility of reinforcements and its budget to cover was voted today by the Municipal Assembly, but the construction is still subject to approval by the National Development Agency.

THE SOUTH TUNNEL BORER WAS LAUNCHED TO THE SECOND LAST STATION – EXPECTED TO BE AT NÉPSZÍNHÁZ STREET IN THE SECOND HALF OF APRIL

After the preliminary work over the weekend, this morning the Metro 4 south TBM shield was launched towards the Népszínház street, and in two weeks will be followed by the northern counterpart. With only two remaining distance, and it will end the first section of the tunnel, therefore, now have a longer and more thorough maintenance for the shields. It is planned that six weeks later, so sometime at the second half of April the Népszínház street station will be reached.

THE METRO 4 CONSTRUCTION COULD BE LEFT WITHOUT AN ENGINEER – BKV, BUDAPEST AND THE GOVERNMENT ARE SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS TOGETH

The contract for the Eurometro Ltd. expires in 2012, but given that the deadline for the contract was mid-2010 at 2006, the financial allocation for the first phase will run out at the end of March. The problem is not to finance the project, but the run out of the contract, so the DBR tried to amend it.

THE KDB DISMISSED THE DBR INITIATIVE TO CHANGE THE CONTRACT - THE METRO BUILDER IS SEEKING THE LEGAL OPTIONS

In its decision the Public Procurement Arbitration is rejected the submissions of the DBR Metro Project Directorate amending of the contract of the Eurometro LTD. FIDIC engineering and the contracting authority was fined for HUF 5 million, and a public procurement procedure was required. DBR is examining the possibility of an appeal against the decision.

NEW INCORRECT ALLEGATIONS WORDED BY BLIKK

Under its article on the metro 4 project issued today with the title of "So the metro money was drained" the tabloid newspaper of Blikk is trying to suggest that in mysterious circumstances the newspaper has taken possession of an also mysterious “consulting" contract of nearly 9 billion forints value, in addition contracts were signed as though "contractors are dictating", moreover there is no supervising engineer to the project either. In the title of the article the newspaper judges instead of the authorities, and practically slanders the leaders of the metro construction with corruption.

NORTH TUNNEL BORER ALSO REACHED RÁKÓCZI SQUARE – PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT SECTION IS UNDERWAY

SOUTH TUNNEL BORER OF METRO 4 ARRIVED TO RÁKÓCZI SQUARE – THE RENEWED TUNNELING TEAM HAS BROKEN A RECORD AGAIN

South TBM of metro 4 has arrived to the Rákóczi Square station and likely its north pair will arrive by the end of January also. Professionals of the STRABAG led BAMCO, proceeding with a very good average pace again, have completed the more than 700 m long tunnel stretch from Kálvin Square to Rákóczi Square within one and a half months. The TBM travelled an average of 15 meters per day, which is considered an outstanding performance in the ground of the Pest side, and even there was a section where 31 tunnel segments, i.e. more then 45 m of tunnel was built by the two boring machines in a single day.