Metrostav: The opening date of Blanka has always been April 2015

source: praha.eu

Prague - The opening of the Blanka tunnel is not being worked on for this December, as it has always been planned for April 2015. Pavel Polák, spokesperson for the construction company Metrostav, told ČTK today. This was a reaction to statements by Adriana Krnáčová (ANO), a candidate for Prague mayor, who told Radio Impuls that she would like to open the Blanka tunnel in March next year. According to her, this year's December deadline will not be met due to safety checks. Documents from inspections in the tunnel, which ČTK has at its disposal, also suggest a likely shift in the opening date.
The outgoing leadership of Prague announced the opening date for the tunnel as December 2, just on the holiday of Blanka, ahead of this year's municipal elections. Jiří Nouza (TOP 09), the outgoing deputy mayor, told ČTK today that he does not intend to abandon the announced deadline and that the work can reportedly still be completed in time.
According to Krnáčová, the problems lie directly in the construction of the tunnel. "There is a certain cabling that is currently underwater, and that needs to be removed. It could short circuit, and therefore it is dangerous to allow anyone into the tunnel. If this hasn't been removed and possibly other technical deficiencies, then no one will be allowed in for safety reasons," she told Impuls. According to her, the issues are also a consequence of the raised groundwater levels after the floods.
"I am not promising anything. I will certainly have a technical report presented to me, and then the council will decide when," Krnáčová added. She sees the March deadline as realistic. According to Krnáčová, the December date was merely an electoral marketing ploy. According to spokesperson Polák, all plans and inspections focused solely on the opening date in April next year.
Problems with water in the tunnel, according to Polák, did exist. "In 2013, heavy rains flooded the construction, and we had to seal it," he said to ČTK. Humidity continues to accumulate in the tunnel, as construction typically needs to dry out. "That would certainly not be the reason for postponing the opening of the construction," he added.
However, the cause might be the inspections being conducted. The city leadership announced this week that it wants the company ČKD Praha DIZ to speed up the inspection of technology in Blanka, as it is proceeding slowly. The company, which is building the technological equipment in the tunnel, claims that it is necessary to adhere to the order of comprehensive tests that began on November 7. It has deployed dozens of people for the work. The last inspection day took place on Wednesday.
According to a list of necessary work for completion, which ČTK has at its disposal, the revision of hoisting and lifting devices and suspensions will still take an additional 46 days. The assessment of the tightness of the waterproofing must be completed a full 91 days before the opening, which was planned for December 2.
The construction part of the tunnel was completed at the end of September. This was ordered by an arbitration court, which the company and the city had approached in the past.
The Blanka tunnel, which was commissioned by the former city leadership under Mayor Pavel Bém (ODS), was originally supposed to be operational by 2011. At the beginning of this October, the Troja Bridge over the Vltava, which is part of the tunnel complex, was opened. The construction costs have increased by several billion crowns over the years and are currently estimated at around 37 billion crowns. Problematic invoices were addressed by an arbitration court.