Athens Metro Line 3 extension: ΤΒΜ’s, finally nearing Maniatika Station

Extension works for Athens Metro Line 3, from Aghia Marina to Piraues Port, proceed in a relatively slow pace although the overall progress of tunnel digging is in a fairly advanced (4.1 out of 6.46 km) stage by now. The encouraging news is that TBM “Ippodamos” is expected to reach Maniatika, the 4^th station of the extension (out of 6 in total) by March.

After its arrival at Maniatika, Ippodamos will go through a standard maintenance procedure, lasting one month, and from there, it is going to set off for the last part of its underground journey to Dimotiko Theatro (Piraeus Municipal Theatre).

In Spring, probably around Easter time, the TBM is going to start digging its way to the finishing line without any further stops as G. Milopoulos, Chairman of Attiko Metro revealed to Ypodomes.com. This means that the mole will essentially pass by the site of the future Piraeus Station before the completion of the excavation works on its surface, in order to save time in completing the tunnel, less than 1 km further down.

In that sense, Piraeus Station, clearly constitutes the biggest challenge of the project due to its vicinity to the seafront and the expected divergence of the tunnel digging process and the excavation works, calling for micro-adjustments. By early 2018, and if everything goes as planned, shoring works in Piraeus should be completed allowing the connection of the station with the already dug tunnel underneath.

The project’s release

It is commonly accepted that the extension will become operational after 2020. What is yet to be confirmed though is whether the 3 first stations (Aghia Varvara, Koridallos and Nikea) will be released first as they are at a very advanced construction stage, leaving the second half of the extension’s release at a later time.

The schedule for the project’s operation will, quite possibly, be decided by the Ministry of Infrastructure, depending on the strategy to be followed. Nevertheless, 2017 will be a decision-making year for Attiko Metro that will make clear how works proceed in the extension of Line 3, a project which proved to be quite challenging and therefore problematic.

Nikos Karagiannis-ypodomes.com

Follow Nikos Karagiannis on Twitter