BOTH METRO TUNNELS ARE COMPLETED UNDER THE DANUBE

The north tunnel boring machine also reached the Fővám square station at noon today, by this the construction of both tunnels are finished across the three hundred meters stretch of the metro line under the Danube. A few decades ago it still took nearly a year for the metro builders to make their way through under the river. Today it was possible in hardly more than a month, moreover without difficulties, which is a remarkable professional achievement. While the north TBM was going through the final centimeters, amid the grandiose rings of the south tunnel the building managers, and the representatives of organizations and municipalities concerned by the project as well as the press were first to walk through from Buda to Pest more than 30 meters deep under the riverbed.
On the event arising great interest, besides Mr. Imre Ikvai-Szabó, Head Mayor Deputy, and Mr. László Becker, Metro Officer, being present on behalf of the host Metropolitan Municipality, two State Secretaries of the Ministry of National Development and Economy, Mr. László Varju and Mr. Sándor Burány were also present. As expressing completion of the Buda side tunnel construction and proceeding at the Pest side Mr. Imre Lakos, Deputy Mayor of Újbuda symbolically handed over the baton to Mr. Ferenc Gegesy, Mayor of Ferencváros, and finally Mr. Gusztáv Klados, Project Director of DBR and Mr. Christian Genschel, Project Manager of BAMCO, gave a professional report on the actual status of the project.

As known, firstly the south TBM reached the Fővám square station on 29th June following its six weeks journey under the Danube. Its north pair, in order to proceed safely, set off only subsequently on 6th July for its way across the 300 meters stretch connecting Buda and Pest. Using the experiences gained during the works of the south TBM under the Danube, the north TBM’s works lasted for one month only. The usual maintenance of the TBMs at these times and redeployment of the Etele square TBM servicing equipment to Szent Gellért square, will still take a few weeks to complete, thus the first TBM will likely set off towards Kálvin square at the beginning of September.

Under the Danube also, TBMs could proceed nearly with the same pace and safety, than in normal conditions and under built-up surface. Construction of the metro 2 section under the Danube, between Kossuth square and Batthyány square, took almost a year to finish. Back then the boring professionals had to work in caisson, blasting accompanied works through harder rocks, and moreover often methane oozed into the working area, which may jeopardized their lives also. The methodology used for the construction of metro 4 is entirely different. The tunnel boring machine has a closed front end support, which protects against water breaking in, and the cutting shield may be adjusted by its operator with almost one push of a button to the continuously varying soil conditions. These too contributed to that that the large, more than a hundred meters long, machines – advancing only a few meters below the deepest point of the river bed – made their way through to the Pest side in such a short time and so smoothly.

Budapest, 6th August 2009
DBR Metro Project Directorate