Praha wants to engage with the D metro project again from the beginning

Prague - The new leadership of the capital does not oppose collaboration with the private sector in the development of the areas around the planned metro line D stations; however, they do not intend to build upon the previous council's project of collaboration with the Penta company. This was stated by Adam Scheinherr, the Deputy Mayor for Transport (Prague Together), in an interview with ČTK. According to him, the priority in the preparation of collaboration will not be the faster acquisition of land, as argued by the previous leadership, but primarily the development of the areas around the stations. Penta's statement is being sought by ČTK.

According to Scheinherr, it is appropriate for the city to ensure better development of new metro stations so that passengers find additional services when exiting from public transport. "So our goal is to cooperate with the private sector in the future," stated the deputy mayor.

He added that the city must ensure good connections to public transport, bike paths, or car traffic through P+R parking lots. According to him, collaboration with the private sector is suitable for other services, but within reasonable limits, so that passengers do not exit the metro in the middle of a shopping center.

This is a situation that, according to the deputy, could occur if the city established cooperation with the Penta group. According to the original plan, the company was to have a 51 percent majority stake in the joint venture. The reported reason was that the venture could approach the acquisition of hundreds of necessary plots as a private company and would not have to comply with the rules of public entities to which the municipality and the transport company are bound. Critics claimed that the proposed arrangement was not sufficiently transparent and did not guarantee that Prague would not exit the venture at a loss, which was refuted by the leadership of the transport company and Penta.

According to Scheinherr, the current city leadership plans to completely abandon the original project and start anew. Thus, it is still unclear in what format collaboration with a private entity would function. Unlike the previous plan, however, the main goal will not be land acquisitions, but quality development of the stations, the deputy mayor stated. According to him, the city can manage the acquisitions itself.

The new council last week changed the supervisory board of the transport company and there is also speculation about changes in its management. Scheinherr only stated today that the new supervisory board, which will meet on December 19, will at least elect two currently missing members of the board of directors.

Metro D is designed to relieve route C and connect residential areas in southern Prague with the center. In the first phase of construction, the section from Pankrác to Olbrachtova will be created. Subsequently, the construction will be extended to the planned stop Nové Dvory and then to the final stop Depo Písnice. In addition to the section from Pankrác to Písnice, Metro D will also run from Pankrác to Náměstí Míru. The new line will feature driverless trains.