Building the underground system in big cities is absolutely necessary as it contributes to traffic decongestion and ensures a safe and efficient mode of transport. Its characteristics and facilities has helped the underground leave behind the other means of public transportation as it ensures a bigger capacity and can reach higher speeds. These advantages helped the underground became a fast, comfortable and environmentally enhanced transport mode.
In Romania’s capital, Bucharest, the underground system has grown in importance among citizens which encourages the initiation of new projects on network extension, renewal of rolling stock fleet and improvement of services.
Within the new extension project, the underground operator, Metrorex, initiates tenders for construction works at Line 5, Drumul Taberei-Universitate section. The segment will be 9-km long, 14 stations and it will cross the capital from East to West. The project is estimated at EUR 883 Million, EUR 395 Million of which are coming from the European Investment bank, while the remaining EUR 488 Million are being state-financed. “We have signed a contract with the Romanian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the Romanian Ministry of Finances for financing Line 5, a project that will help improving the citizens’ life. The loan represents 45% of the overall investments necessary to the project implementation”, declared when signing the contract in November 2009 Matthias Kollatz-Ahnen, Vice President EIB. According to the Romanian Ministry of Transport, Radu Berceanu, “the work rhythm and the operation of the new line depend on the allocated money, but the tender should be carried out before receiving the EIB money”. Tunnelling and consolidation works might begin by the end of 2010. “After analysing offers, we hope to select the winner in two months and initiate the actual works”, declared for Railway Pro the underground operator’s General Manager, Gheorghe Udrişte.
RON 2.3 Million (EUR 540 Thousand) of the money allocated both by EIB and the state budget will be allocated to rolling stock acquisition. “Within the EIB financing contract, one of components includes rolling stock acquisition for Line 5, but also for the renewal of the aged rolling stock fleet, the amount being specifically allocated to the acquisition of new trains. Within the project, we will launch the tender for the acquisition of consultancy services and the winner will have to deal with the paper work, elaborate and present the solutions for procuring these trains, taking into account the procurement of these trains in two different lots. National and international companies will participate in the tender”, Udrişte added.
21 trains of the 37 to be bought will enter operation on the new line, while the other 16 will complete the operator’s rolling stock fleet currently in operation on the other 4 lines. The deadline for paper offer deposit is September 20, 2010, while the deadline for offer deposit is September 28. The contract attribution criterion is the lowest price and the winner will have to complete the project in 61 months since the contract attribution. Interested companies should present a tender participation guarantee of RON 25 Thousand (around EUR 6,000), the execution guarantee being 6% of the contract price, VAT excluded. As for the economic and financial capacity of participating companies, their medium turnover on the last three years has to reach RON 4.6 Million (over EUR 1 Million) and they have to meet the technical capacity requirements.
Other projects in plan for Metrorex in the near future include the development of Gara de Nord- Henri Coandă International Airport. In March 2010, a financing contract of around EUR 320 was signed for this project with the Japanese Bank through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The feasibility study has already been elaborated. The project could reach EUR 1 Billion. Projects for increasing the attractiveness and energy efficiency of the Bucharest underground system are focused on the modernisation of traffic control and power equipments, the acquisition of trains, the modernisation of existing stations and construction of other entrances, as well as the development of facilities for disabled people.
For the extension of the underground network, the company’s ambitious projects include the construction of other 9 underground lines to cover commuter transport in suburban areas. All these plans will be implemented as soon as the financing sources will be identified.
by Pamela Luică
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