The construction of the metro from Ládví to Letňany is roughly halfway done

Prague - The construction of the new section of metro line C from Ládví to Letňany is roughly halfway complete. In the tunnels, the tracks still need to be laid, and in the underground stations, spaces are being prepared for technological equipment, which will begin to be installed at the end of this year. The first passengers are expected to ride on the new section of the metro in the first half of 2008, said Pavel Šrámek from the company Metrostav to reporters today.
The new part of the underground railway, approximately 4.6 kilometers long, will have three stations: Střížkov, Prosek, and Letňany. The costs will be around 15.5 billion crowns.
Work is progressing according to schedule. "Currently, we have excavated all the track tunnels, including the final lining. The track slabs are laid, and the track superstructure is being installed," stated Šrámek. At the stations, their above-ground parts still need to be constructed; for example, the steel structure at Střížkov is already finished. The surfaces inside the stations are still missing. "That is the stage we are facing now," noted Šrámek.
The largest station will be Letňany. Stations typically have platforms that are ten meters wide, while in Letňany it will be double that. It is expected that the station will be used by a significantly large number of people at peak times, explained Šrámek. A stone exhibition center is planned to be built near the station, and there is also consideration of using the plots for a potential summer Olympics.
Next to the Letňany station, there is still a large pile of earth with rocks. For cost savings, it is being crushed and used for backfilling.
The sections between Ládví and Střížkov and Prosek and Letňany were excavated by workers. All three stations and the tunnels between Střížkov and Prosek were dug from the surface. "This method of construction resulted in a savings of about one billion crowns," said Jan Jarolím, the deputy mayor of Prague 9. However, local residents were troubled by noise and dust.
The construction of the metro also caused traffic restrictions in Vysočanská Street. According to Šrámek, they should end in mid-October.