RUSSIA: The 21 km Mnevniki – Kakhovskaya southwestern section of Moscow Metro’s Bolshaya Koltsevaya ‘Big Circle’ Line 11 was opened on December 7, with President Putin joining via video link. Mostransproekt director Vladimir Titov said this was the longest section of the Moscow metro network to open in one stage, being almost twice the length of the first 11 km line which opened in 1935.
The latest opening is expected to significantly relieve the surface transport network, with around half a million people living within walking distance of the new stations and journey times to the city centre being reduced by up to 45 min.
The extension has 10 stations, of which nine are new and Kakhovskaya on Line 9 has been modernised. The tunnels are relatively shallow by Moscow standards, with the stations being 11 to 33 m below ground. Between Mnevnikov and Davydkovo the line runs in 10 m diameter double-track tunnels, rather than the single track bores which are more commonly used on the network. The project also included planting 3 000 trees and constructing 8 km of new roads.
So far 44 km of the Bolshaya Koltsevaya line has been completed. The remaining tunnelling work is expected to be completed during December, and the final section is due to open in 2023, taking the line to 70 km with 31 stations and three depots. This will enable passengers to change between radial lines without travelling into the city centre, relieving congestion on the circular Line 5 Koltsevaya which is around 10 km closer to the city centre.
Speaking to the opening ceremony, Putin said 100 stations had been opened in the past 10 years, and such a high rate of development must be maintained in the future to provide faster and more comfortable travel for millions of people.
