<Praha wants to include the metro to Žižkov and Vysočany in the zoning plan.</P>

Prague - The leadership of the capital city wants to include the route of metro line D heading towards Žižkov and Vysočany in the upcoming Metropolitan Plan. This was stated to reporters today by the chairman of the municipal transport committee, Matěj Stropnický (SZ/Trojkoalice). The route is currently defined only as a land reserve in the existing plan, while in the new Metropolitan Plan, it ends at Republic Square. Prague city councilors will discuss the change on Thursday.

In addition to incorporating the route into the new Metropolitan Plan, the city wants to transform the mentioned reserve in the existing plan into a binding proposal. "This is important so that the city can purchase and contract the land for future construction. This cannot be delayed. The very fact that this was not done quickly enough in the past is a source of problems in the southern part (from Pankrác to Písnice)," said Stropnický. Prague and the transport company are facing challenges with land acquisitions for the first part of the route.

Prague councilors are expected to instruct the city’s council on Thursday to direct the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) to incorporate the changes into the plan. IPR developed an analysis in the past, according to which it would be beneficial to lead route D from Vinohrady to Republic Square. The reason is the better usability of the route.

Construction is expected to commence first on the section from Depo Písnice to Pankrác, followed by the stage from Pankrác to Náměstí Míru. Metro D will connect the city center with the southern part of the city. Project designers preliminarily estimate the costs to be around 50 billion crowns. Prague aims to draw on subsidies from European funds for the construction. DPP is currently addressing the acquisition of land between Pankrác and Písnice. The new line will feature driverless trains.