The Vitebsk Metro will be commissioned in the middle of next summer
The "Underground passage under Lenin Street near the Summer Amphitheater" facility is unique for our city.
As Viktor Ivanov, chief engineer of RUP "Capital Construction of Vitebsk", which is the client for the facility, stated, the excavation of the left tunnel was completed in September-October, the mining shield was dismantled, and from November, they are ready to start excavating the right connecting tunnel. At the time of drawing up the estimate documentation, the cost of this structure was 6.5 billion in 2006 prices. As of October 1, about 13 billion rubles have been utilized at current prices.
The general contractor for the facility is JSC "Zhilstroy". In addition, Minsk residents, JSC "RemServiceStroy", which built the Minsk Metro, are also working here. As reported by Gennady Yushkevich, deputy director of JSC "RemServiceStroy", currently 12 workers from Minsk are employed at the facility in two shifts. When the excavation of the right connecting tunnel begins, the number of metro builders and shifts will increase. According to the project, two tunnels over 40 meters long and 5.5 meters in diameter will pass under Lenin Street, with several "corridors" between them, which will connect pedestrian flows in two directions.
According to Viktor Vladimirovich, provided there is sufficient funding, the excavation of the right tunnel is planned to be completed by the spring of next year.
Then, the general contractor JSC "Zhilstroy" will be able to proceed with the "finishing" works. The underground passage is planned to be commissioned in mid-summer next year.
- Unfortunately, if the 23 rings specially manufactured at the Minsk reinforced concrete plant for the Vitebsk underground passage do not arrive at the facility in the near future, we will not be able to start further work in November, - Gennady Yushkevich shared his concerns. - A total of 48 such rings are required.
As Viktor Ivanov explained, the funding situation is being resolved, and soon the metro builders will begin the next stage of constructing this grand facility.
Irina AZEVICH, photos by Oleg KLIMOVICH, Vitbichi