Preliminary design of the priority lines completed in 1998. Total length of LRT network 123 km, 18 km underground and 17 km elevated. 68 stations planned, 23 of which are underground and 11 elevated. Priority is 12.5 km-long North-South line from Kaveh to Soffeh passing under the Zayandeh Rud river at city centre, which is in tunnel for most of its length. Both cut & cover and boring under consideration. Internal diameters of bored tunnel 8.0 m and 5.8 m respectively for twin track and single track. More from euro@isfahan.org.ir 17/01. Pre-feasibility studies completed for 4.7 km tunnel to be excavated by 9 m-diameter EPB in soft ground comprising clay and saturated sand and gravel layers. Proposals invited for acquisition of used TBM or for JV with external TBM contractor. Contact Esfahan LRT Project Management, khashayar@parsiannet.com 40/01.The 12.5 km north-south line A from Kaveh to Soffeh includes 15 stations. The project requires 5.7 m-high, 8 m-wide double-track cut-and-cover tunnels, two 5 km single-track bored tunnels and 14 m-wide 1,500 sq m stations. Phase one from Kaveh to Imam Hossein (4.7 km) will be finished in 2005 and phase two from Imam Hossein to Soffeh (7.8 km) is scheduled for completion in 2007. The Kaveh depot-Shohada section (3 km as part of phase 1) is under construction since June 2001 using the cut-and-cover method. A second section from Shohada to Azadi (end of phase 1 plus part of phase 2), 6 m inner diameter, is under preliminary design, for construction with a 6.7 m EPB shield ordered to Herrenknecht due to be delivered in September 2003 for tunnelling start one month later. The third section from Azadi to Soffeh will also be built in cut-and-cover. Financing by the government of Iran (50%) and the city of Esfahan (50%). More from Mr. Khashayar Bagherinia, Technical Engineering Deputy of Esfahan Metro, e-mail kh_bagherinia@yahoo.com. Visit www.esfahanmetro.org 37/02.Two revamped Herrenknecht EPB shields, OD 6,890 mm and ID 6 m, to arrive in Esfahan in December 2003 for the first machine and in January or February 2004 for the second to drive from April or May 2004 the 2 x 5 km Shohada-Azadi section as part of the 12.5 km north-south line. It is a double-tube single-track tunnel that will cross the Zayandeh Rud river. Logistics equipment to be supplied by Maschinen- und Stahlbau Dresden (MSD) and segment moulds by CBE of France. Contractor is Iranian company Alamot. Cost around $33 million. Visit www.herrenknecht.com, www.msd-dresden.de and www.cbe-tunnels.comIranian contractor Daghigh is building since June 2001 a 3 km-long, 5.7 m-high, 8 m-wide double-track single-tube tunnel box between Kaveh depot and Shohada as part of phase 1. Completion is expected in December 2003. Third section from Azadi to Soffeh is a horse shoe-shaped tunnel, also built by Alamot, using three Paurat roadheaders. Shaft construction started in May 2003 and construction will be finished in May 2005. Visit www.wirth-europe.de/roadheaders/paurat.htm. More from Mr. Khashayar Bagherinia, Technical Engineer and Deputy of Esfahan Metro, e-mail kh_bagherinia@yahoo.com. Visit www.esfahanmetro.org 44/03.