New station keeps metro on track
The 30th station on the Athens metro system is to open to the public at noon today, when officials will inaugurate the Aghia Paraskevi stop on Line 3 in northeastern Athens after several months of delay. The station, which much to the disappointment of Aghia Paraskevi residents is located on the municipality’s borders with Halandri, has two entrances and exits and three underground levels. It is estimated that it will be used by about 20,000 commuters every day. The completion of Aghia Paraskevi station has been delayed by several months as a result of technical issues and due to the impact that the economic crisis has had on the contractors. In May this year, Transport Minister Dimitris Reppas had said that the station would be open by September. For the construction of the station, along with those of Holargos and Nomismatokopeio on the same line, to be completed, the section of Line 3 from Ethniki Amyna to Athens International Airport was closed for six months last year. Holargos station opened this summer. Nomismatokopeio was ready in November 2009. Also yesterday, the company responsible for the construction of the metro network, Attiko Metro, opened to the public Dimokratias Square in Peristeri, western Athens, which for the past few months had been a worksite for the Line 2 station that is being constructed there. Although the station has not been completed, the regenerated square, which covers almost a hectare, has been opened to the public. Peristeri station, along with Anthouli and Haidari on the same line, will be ready next year, said Attiko Metro president Christos Tsitouras. Despite the paucity of public funds, the government has also pledged to move ahead with the southeasterly extension of Line 3 (to coastal Elliniko via new stations in Ilioupoli, Alimos and Argyroupoli).
