Amsterdam metro line to cost even more

Tuesday 09 December 2008

The cost of building the north-south metro line under Amsterdam is to rise again by up to €70m, report several newspapers on Tuesday.

The extra money is needed to plug the gaps in the walls of the station under the Vijzelgracht where in June and September of this year leaks caused subsidence to a number of listed buildings.

An independent report has now shown that the construction of the Vijzelgracht station and of a second station under Rokin is of a poor quality, say the papers.

Repairs will be carried out at both stations to make the seams between the panels in the walls watertight. According to councillor Tjeerd Herrema, who is in charge of transport for the city, this will 'probably' prevent leaks in the future, say the papers.

The €70m also includes the money to buy out anyone who does not want to return to the damaged houses on the Vijzelgracht.

In April the city council said the metro link will not be completed until 2015, four years later than planned, while its cost has soared by almost 50% to over €2bn.

© DutchNews.nl

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