Official: Decision to close down October metro station still pending
The Minsk Metro management wants to increase passenger capacity between the two lines of the city’s underground network by installing an additional moving stairs.
Anatol Getz, the deputy CEO for development, Minsk Metro, the decision to close down the October station has not been approved yet and is being considered as an option.
“From the standpoint of public safety, we propose to close down the station completely for three months. This proposal is being considered. The main issue here is the safety of passengers.
When we are going to mount new escalators, naturally it will be very dangerous for people,” Getz told the European Radio for Belarus.
The transfer Kupalauskaja station will operate as usual. But in order to transfer to the Moscow line, one would need to exit the underground and use the public transport on the ground.
“Anyway, whatever decision is taken, we will need to seek agreement with the company Capital Transport. They are the ones to decide how to ensure transportation of passengers on the ground. Perhaps, they could run additional routes,” Getz said.
He added that there were cases in the world when stations would be closed for reconstruction and nothing would happen: people got easily used to it.
“In Moscow, the Lenin Library station was closed for six months. This is a connecting station for three lines. Nothing terrible happened. It may only seem that it is terrible. But we can easily get used to it, because we get used to many things in our life…”, he added.
It is surprising that Anatol Getz said in an interview with the Minsk Courier newspaper that all the repairs would take place with the station open for passengers.
By the way, the passage tunnel between Kupalauskaja and October stations can accommodate only 35 percent of passengers. The remaining 65 percent must stroll between the two stations on the surface. It is still unclear how those who are to buy for entering the metro twice are going to be picked up…
Photo by forum.esmasoft.com
