Thessaloniki Metro Depot construction in full progress

One of the largest buildings in Thessaloniki is now the -under construction- Metro System’s Depot. It is, undoubtedly, a sizeable landmark in Pilea area and the truth is, that its size forshadowed this “domination” in a privileged part of the city, in the coming years. Numbers are eye-opening:

It is built in an area of ​​approximately 12.35 acres, which is much larger than a conventional building block in Greece. Its cost equalst to approximately 16.35% of the total cost of the Thessaloniki Metro baseline project with 130.4mio euros. Pilea Depot will nestle multiple operations including maintenance, repairs, washing and parking of the trains. Today the building complex’s construction is at a very advanced stage.

The capacity of the Depot is for servicing 20 Metro trains, space which is deemed sufficient for the needs of both the Main Line and Kalamaria Branch. In 2022, a total of 30 trains will be in use in the 2-line network.

As Attiko Metro’s Chairman, Mr. Yiannis Milopoulos, explained at Ypodomes.com, 2019 will be a decisive year for the Depot, as most of the trains (currently being manufactured in Italy by Hitachi) are expected to be completed allowing the trial operation of the line to begin between Neo Sintrivani and Nea Elvetia, a part of the Main Line that will go operational on November 20, 2020.

In 2019, the offices of Attiko Metro will be relocated to the Depot, followed by the HQ relocation of Thessaloniki’s Transport Organization. Recently, a talk about the need for an additional station in the area has started, as the presence of hundreds of workers, working for the new means of transport, in the surrounding area, are expected to bring an important residential development.

 

Nikos Karagiannis-ypodomes.com

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