Petition requests the construction of a second entrance to the Národní třída station

Prague - Organizers of the petition against the closure of the metro station at Národní Street today submitted the petition sheets to the representatives of Prague 1. They demand that a second entrance to the metro be built and that the station remain open. A multifunctional building, Copa Center, is set to be constructed around the metro in the coming years. Due to the construction and renovation of the station, the metro will be closed for approximately 16 months.
    A representative of the petition committee, Miloslav Kunc, told ČTK that the petition has been signed by more than 8000 people by Monday, with around 5500 signatures having all the necessary details. The petition was handed over to the representatives of the first city district, as the building authority in Prague 1 will decide on the issuance of the building permit.
    According to Ondřej Pečený, spokesman for the Prague Public Transit Company, the metro station must be renovated regardless of whether construction is taking place in the vicinity. According to him, everything needs to be replaced, from escalators to operational equipment. Kunc disagrees with this. "Národní was completely renovated for several months after the floods," he emphasized. "Moreover, escalators can be replaced while in operation," he added. Kunc believes that the metro vestibule at Národní Street is intentionally being neglected to make it look dilapidated.
    A multifunctional building, Copa Center, worth approximately four billion crowns, is set to be built above the station. It will include apartments, offices, shopping passageways, and a parking lot for 250 cars. Construction will take about 20 months, and the metro is expected to be closed for a shorter period.
    The current entrance to the metro station will disappear, and a new modern entrance will be created in the underground level. The metro vestibule will also be relocated underground. During the repairs, trains will only pass through the station. Tram operations will remain unchanged, but the stop on Spálená Street will be moved closer to Karlovo náměstí. The project currently does not have a building permit, so it is unclear when exactly the metro will be closed.