HN: The construction of the Blanka tunnel is reportedly set to be delayed by six months

Prague - The construction of the Blanka tunnel, which is part of the Prague city ring road that is being built, is expected to be completed with a six-month delay in June 2012. Moreover, it is likely that the originally set price of 21.2 billion crowns will not be adhered to. This should be at least five billion higher. This was reported by today’s Hospodářské noviny (HN), citing a source informed about the construction preparations. However, politicians and representatives of construction companies deny this claim.
The time lag, according to HN, is indicated by a look into the accounting of the city hall, which allocated 7.4 billion CZK for the construction in the budget. By the end of July, however, only 2.2 billion CZK had been spent. Mayor Pavel Bém stated for HN that "the contract is valid with the offer price and schedule for the work, including the completion of the project."
However, HN states that in mid-July a sharp dispute flared up between the company Metrostav and the firm ČKD, which supplies technology to the tunnels, due to the deadline. Metrostav, which is the main contractor, announced that the construction part will be handed over at least half a year later than promised. The reason is said to be two ground collapses in Stromovka, which according to HN will also increase overall costs. Metrostav spokesperson František Polák stated that the company currently has no indications that the price should be higher. "The delay will be eliminated," he noted.
However, according to HN, this is difficult to verify because both Metrostav and the IDS company, which supervises the construction for the city, refuse to disclose the current work schedules. "Those that were recently posted on the web have been removed by Metrostav," HN reports. On the contrary, Jiří Zeman from the urban investor department of the Prague city hall confirmed that "it is indisputable that everything will not be completed on the scheduled date."
The Blanka tunnel complex, which is part of the northwestern section of the city ring road between Malovanka and Pelc-Tyrolka, should be completed in 2011. The construction of the northwestern part of the inner automotive bypass between Špejchar and the Pelc-Tyrolka intersection started last year. The road will run through tunnels under Letná and Stromovka.
The tunnel is 6.4 kilometers long, of which 5.5 kilometers runs underground. After connecting with the Zlíchov, Strahov, and Mrázov tunnels, this system of tunnels will measure a total of 17 kilometers, creating the longest urban tunnel in Europe. In 1998, the city hall originally estimated the costs at eight billion crowns.
During the tunnel construction, ground collapsed in Stromovka in October and May of last year. At the site of the May collapse, which occurred near the former Šlechtova restaurant, there was a crater about 30 meters in diameter. Metrostav subsequently had to halt the excavation at the decision of the Mining Authority and reinforce the overburden in Stromovka.