Plans for three line system totalling 52 km with 49 stations have been resuscitated. Design requires 11 km of single and twin-track EPB tunnel and nine underground stations using NATM techniques. Mixed ground comprises sand, gravel and clay. Tunnel diameters 5.2 m and 9.2 m. Sept 1999.Taisei won the bid for the construction of a 2.4 km extension from downtown Sveta Nedelya square to the southward Dragan Tsankov Boulevard on line 1. Taisei will bore 4.8 km of twin tunnel and will build two stations, one at Sofia University and one at the Bulgarian National Radio. The contract is worth USD83.4 million. Financing by the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation. The extension is due for delivery by October 2007. The 12 km metro line 1 has eight stations at the moment. The addition by 2007 will extend the length to 15 km. Visit www.taisei.co.jp 41/04.The prequalification phase for construction of the 6.5 km section of the Sofia subway connecting Nadezhda borough with Cherni Vrah boulevard ended on 3rd September. The second phase started on 5th December and the contract is to be concluded in February 2008. The building works are to start in 2008 and to be complete in 45 months. The route will have a total of seven underground stations, stretching from Nadezhda borough down southeast to the central railway station, Tzum department store, the National Palace of Culture to Cherni Vrah boulevard.Ten companies and consortia have handed in their offers. The list includes Pizzarotti-SELI; Condotte-Ansaldo; FCC; OHL; Metrostav; Greek consortium Aktor-Terna; J&P Avax also from Greece; Geotechmin, the only local candidate not part of any alliance with foreign corporations; Glavbolgarstroy in partnership with Hochtief; and Moststroy with Turkey's Dogus Group. This is the first subway project co-financed by the European Union. 50-51/07.Open invitation to tender, deadline 19th June, 2008 for development of a final design and construction of a 6.4 km metro section with seven stations from Nadezhda Road junction to the central railway station, St. Nedelya Square, NPC and Cherni Vrah Boulevard. The procurement is divided in two lots. The first lot stretches for 4.42 km and includes four stations (from Nadezhda Road junction to the central railway station). It has a cost of BGL400.46 million. The second lot stretches for 2.6 km and has three stations (from Patriarh Evtimiy Boulevard to Cherni Vrah Boulevard). It should be built for no more than BGL155.55 million. The design and construction of two underground stations (MS8-II and MS11-II) and the tunnel section after the second one is not included. Two underground stations (MS9-II and MS10-II) and the tunnels between them are not included either as they are already constructed. The scope of the procurement includes construction, overhaul of the already constructed sections, architectural construction, electro-mechanical equipment including railway and contact rail, transport automatics, etc. until full completion of the section and its putting into operation. The geology is detailed in the preliminary design. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=82375-2008, OJ S 61, and http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=100604-2008, OJ S 75, or contact Metropoliten, Sofia, fax +359 29877892. E-mail ob_por_metro@abv.bg 20/08.Metroproject of Sofia has been awarded the technical design for the 4,130 m Obelya station-Nadezhda Road junction of Sofia’s second metro line, including four stations. 22/08.A consortium headed by Systra, with Infraproject and Metroconsult as partners, signed a EUR6.3 million contract (VAT not included) for engineering and assistance to Sofia metro operator Metropolitan for the 6.4 km section of Line 2 with seven stations from Nadezhda Road junction to Cherni Vrah Boulevard. Visit www.systra.com, http://infrapro.com, www.metroconsult.com and www.metropolitan.bg 24/08.Open invitation to tender, deadline 15th September, 2008 for design and construction of a 2,150 m underground extension of Line 1, with two underground stations and underground car park under Tsarigradsko shose Blvd. The metro section goes from Mladost I to Tsarigradsko shose Blvd. in the direction of Druzhba Road and Sofia Airport. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=156809-2008, OJ S 118 and http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=172405-2008, OJ S 130, or contact Metropoliten, Sofia, fax +359 29877892. E-mail ob_por_metro@abv.bg 27/08.Turkish company Dogus has been selected to construct the section of Line 2 from Nadezhda Road junction via the central railway station to Patriarch Evtimiy Blvd. This 3.8 km section has four stations. The contract has a value of BGN329.1 million. A Bulgarian joint venture named Metro Treis will build a 2.6 km section from Patriarch Evtimiy Blvd to Cherni Vrah Blvd. This second section has three stations. The contract is worth BGN142 million. The second line of the Sofia metro is expected to be completed within 45 months and its construction to start in September. About BGN370 million for the construction of the second line will be provided by the EU funding programmes, whereas the remaining BGN100 million will come from the Bulgarian state and the city of Sofia. Visit www.dogusinsaat.com.tr and www.metropolitan.bg html 31/08.Turkish construction firm Dogus and the Metro Trace consortium signed an agreement with the municipal company Metropoliten for the construction of the second line of the Sofia metro on 27th August. The two companies won a tender for construction of the section Nadezhda-Central railway station-Sveta Nedelya Square-Cherni Vruh Boulevard. Dogus will construct the 3.8 km section, with four stations, running from Nadezhda to Patriarh Evtimii Boulevard. The company offered BGN329.1 million to build the stretch. Metro Trace will construct the remaining 2.6 km segment of the new subway line, with three stations, for BGN142 million. Metro Trace is a joint venture led by Trace Group Hold with Trace Sofia and SB Engineering as partners. Dogus and Metro Trace will break ground on the project by the end of the year. Construction, under the terms of the contract, has to be completed in 45 months. In 2012, Sofia will have two metro lines with a total length of about 31 km and it expects to transport more than 420,000 passengers daily. Click bg/11. Visit www.dogusinsaat.com.tr and www.tracebg.com/en/home 38/08.Open invitation to tender, deadline 05.01.2009, for construction of underground station on Line 1 of Sofia metro. Contact Krasimira Georgieva or Iskra Ilieva, tel +359 2 921 2034, e-mail ob_por_metro@abv.bg or visit www.metropolitan.bg 47/08 http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=296695-2008 47/08.