The density of the area from Tokyo station to Otopeni Airport is the lowest in Bucharest and, therefore, the question arises whether this investment of 700 million euros is useful in this form, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Catalin Drula said on Wednesday.
"The question arises whether this investment of 700 million euros [metro line to Otopeni, ed.n.] is useful in this form, especially since Bucharest is in great need of other metro lines. It is about the M5 line that crosses Bucharest east to west, then the continuation to the south of lines 4, even on the M7 line from Colentina to Rahova. All these are necessary lines that connect densely populated neighborhoods. The density of the area from [station, ed.n.] Tokyo to Otopeni Airport is the lowest in Bucharest, there are forests there, all of which raise questions about feasibility. A metro line doesn't only cost the construction, its operation costs very much. The line opened in Drumul Taberei costs us 175 million [lei] per year. We recover 25 million from the tickets, so that leaves 150 million in subsidy. I think we need to invest with our head. The experts of the European Investment Bank are helping us to invest wisely. As for Cluj, based on current talks, there are 300 million euros and another 300 million euros provided for Bucharest, under the PNNR," explained Catalin Drula, reports agerpres.