METRO 4 HAS AN INDEPENDENT SUPERVISING ENGINEER
In the last weeks several such commentaries – independent from DBR Metro Project Directorate – emerged, which as per our opinion unreasonably questions technical information provisions in connection with metro 4. Metro 4 has an independent supervising Engineer, who provides necessary technical and legal information in all cases, thus with special reference to contracts made in connection with metro 4. Besides the open and increased communication to the public, technical information is getting to the competent bodies through several other channels too, thus to the General Meeting of Budapest, and to its committees. In the name of transparency on the website of DBR nearly 40 contracts can already be found, otherwise not violating business secrets.
According to the contract made between the Municipality of Budapest and BKV Zrt. on the tasks of the investor for the first section of metro 4, BKV Zrt. with the agreement of the city of Budapest has to employ an independent supervising Engineer in order to control investor’s decisions and completion of the project, and this is also required by the credit contract made between the European Investment Bank and the city of Budapest. In compliance with the changed financing conditions, preparations are concluded, and the independent supervising Engineer’s public procurement procedure is in process.
In order to facilitate continuation, temporarily since the beginning of February on behalf of BKV Mr. József Vagács civil and structural engineer has been fulfilling the tasks of the independent supervising Engineer. Mr. Vagács also recognized as a university teacher has been providing technical consultancy for decades, participates as an expert in different litigations, and in addition to his significant role in the design works for metro 3 in Budapest, worked as a designer in Munich, built an airfield in Algeria, metro station in Libya, and participated in the design works of the tunnel built between England and France. Founding member of both the Hungarian Engineer’s and the Hungarian Architect's Chamber.
Within his duties, he has been and going to be communicating continuously with BKV’s Supervisory Board, provides all information on contracts made in connection with metro 4 also, (of which now nearly 40 documents can be found on DBR’s website), and respectively he is available at any time for the General Meeting of Budapest. In accordance with his credentials he was assigned by BKV to carry out the independent supervising engineer’s tasks, services and inspections associated with the building and completion works of the Budapest Metro 4 project and connecting surface works, until the permanent independent supervising engineer is selected.
In addition to the above, besides the quarterly metro-supervisory report provided to the General Meeting of Budapest, the management of DBR Metro Project Directorate in all cases satisfies the invitation of the General Meeting of Budapest, its committees, and the Head Mayor’s Cabinet. In all cases provides technical information upon request by the city of Budapest in addition to the almost daily and detailed communication to the public. For all questions asked up to date, thus on the hardships occurred during tunneling works, on the end date as currently anticipated, on the status of the EU aid and respectively with reference to BAMCO’s extra claims, he provided the requested information to both the members of the municipality and the members of the press, and thereby to the residents of Budapest.
Budapest, 10th April 2009
DBR Metro Project Directorate