New metro stations to open soon
The long delays in the opening of two new metro stations in the northeastern suburbs of Athens will come to an end in the next few months, the government said yesterday. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Dimitris Reppas said that Holargos and Aghia Paraskevi stations on Line 2 of the metro system would be open in June and September respectively. Holargos station lies between Ethniki Amyna and Nomismatokopeio stations and is located on Mesogeion Avenue. It is expected to be used by some 20,000 commuters a day. Aghia Paraskevi station is situated some distance from the suburb’s central square and its construction was delayed for some time until a suitable site was found. Both stations had been in the pipeline following the hosting of the Athens Olympics in 2004 but were subject to repeated delays. The most recent holdup came as a result of the state having to raise the money to pay the construction firm that undertook the project. The last station to open on Line 2 was Nomismatokopeio in September 2009. Reppas also said that the southeasterly extension of Line 3 (to Elliniko via new stations in Ilioupoli, Alimos and Argyroupoli) as well as its westerly extension toward Anthoupoli (via Peristeri) would be completed by spring next year, along with the southeastern extension of Line 2 to Haidari. Reppas said that this project has been held up because the German electronics and engineering giant Siemens, which has been at the center of a bribery investigation in Greece, is one of the companies involved in the scheme. Reppas said that the government plans to press ahead with the construction of a new metro line that will run from Maroussi in northern Athens to the Veikou woods near Galatsi but will also pass through neighborhoods such as Kolonaki in the city center. He said «a major step» would be taken next year to build Line 4 but did not give any further details or a time line for its completion.
