Turkish, Bulgarian companies to build Sofia metro
SOFIA, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Bulgaria has contracted Turkish Dogus Construction Group and Bulgarian consortium Metrotrace to build Sofia's second metro line for a combined 471 million levs ($354.4 million), the transport ministry said on Wednesday.
The companies won a tender for the 6.5 kilometre stretch, aimed to relieve the traffic in Sofia and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 35,000 tonnes per year, the ministry said.
Turkey's Dogus will build the first sector of the stretch, which is 3.8 kilometres, for 329.1 million levs ($247.6 million). Bulgaria's Metrotrace will finish the last 2.6 kilometres in a 141.9 million levs ($106.8 million) deal.
The European Union-backed project will be cofinanced by the Sofia Municipality. The line should be completed by 2012.
The Balkan country launched a small section of the Sofia subway in early 1998. It plans to build three railway lines across the capital, where more than 2 million people, or roughly a quarter of Bulgaria's population, live.
SOFIA, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Bulgaria has contracted Turkish Dogus Construction Group and Bulgarian consortium Metrotrace to build Sofia's second metro line for a combined 471 million levs ($354.4 million), the transport ministry said on Wednesday.
The companies won a tender for the 6.5 kilometre stretch, aimed to relieve the traffic in Sofia and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 35,000 tonnes per year, the ministry said.
Turkey's Dogus will build the first sector of the stretch, which is 3.8 kilometres, for 329.1 million levs ($247.6 million). Bulgaria's Metrotrace will finish the last 2.6 kilometres in a 141.9 million levs ($106.8 million) deal.
The European Union-backed project will be cofinanced by the Sofia Municipality. The line should be completed by 2012.
The Balkan country launched a small section of the Sofia subway in early 1998. It plans to build three railway lines across the capital, where more than 2 million people, or roughly a quarter of Bulgaria's population, live.