Budapest to complete Metro 3 renovation budget, says mayor

The government has declined to provide additional funds to the renovation of Budapest’s third metro line but the city will use its own reserves to top up the budget, mayor István Tarlós told a press conference on Thursday.

Tarlós said that a Hungarian delegation would hold negotiations in Brussels next week to seek approval for financing justified extra costs of the M3 project from city coffers.

The mayor said the renovation project could “reasonably” start in late September on the northern section of the metro line, while new bids would be put out to cover two other sections.

At its Wednesday meeting the government “made it clear that it would not terminate its earlier agreement” with the city to contribute 137.5 billion forints for the project, Tarlós said. “That fund is available,” the mayor said, adding that the funds would be “sufficient” to cover the cost of renovation “on one section and along the tunnel”.

Government office chief János Lázár said the government would provide all possible help for the city to start the metro 3 revamp project. Lázár told a regular press briefing that the government supports Tarlós’s implementation plan.

Photo: Daily News Hungary

Source: MTI