Future Plans and Development of the Minsk Metro

The Minsk Metro continues to develop, delighting residents with new stations. However, plans to extend the existing lines – Moskovskaya (blue) and Avtozavodskaya (red) – remain uncertain. Chief Engineer of "Minskmetoproject," Georgy Protasov, discussed this in an interview with the newspaper "Minsky Courier."

Extension of the Blue and Red Lines: When Will It Be Relevant?

According to the general development plan for Minsk, the Moskovskaya line was planned to extend northeast beyond the "Uruchye" station to "Smolenskaya," and southwest beyond "Malinovka" to "Shomyslitsa." The Avtozavodskaya line was intended to be extended from "Kamenaya Gorka" to "Krasny Bor," and southeast to Shabany. However, according to Protasov, these projects are currently not a priority. The chief engineer emphasized that constructing new metro stations is reasonable only in areas with high passenger traffic where underground transport will be in demand. “The metro is a high-speed transport system that should not operate in ‘open fields,’” he noted. Thus, extending the existing lines depends on the development of adjacent territories and an increase in population density.

Focus on the Zelenoluzhskaya Line and Ring Construction

Currently, the main efforts of metro builders are concentrated on developing the third, Zelenoluzhskaya line. Active work is underway to extend the line from "Yubileynaya Ploshchad" to the future "Park Druzhby Narodov" station at Bangalore Square. Protasov mentioned ongoing preparatory work, network relocations, excavation of pits, and the installation of a tunnel-boring machine shield chamber. An important aspect is that a connecting branch with the future fourth, circular line is already being laid. This will help avoid additional complexities and costs in the future. Protasov also highlighted the challenging engineering and geological conditions in this area, particularly the high groundwater levels, which require the use of specialized technologies and waterproofing. The general plan for the development of the Minsk Metro includes constructing a fourth, circular line consisting of 17 stations. It is intended to improve transportation in the city, especially in combination with transit hubs. Protasov emphasized that the construction will proceed in stages due to the complexity and high cost of the project. Currently, pre-project studies are being carried out to justify the line's routing and the number of stations.

Challenges and Prospects

Building the metro in Minsk faces several challenges, including high groundwater levels and the need to reconstruct existing stations to organize transfer hubs without halting train traffic. Protasov mentioned the high construction costs – $70 million per kilometer – but stressed that this amount is lower than in Moscow, for example. "Minskmetoproject" is constantly working to reduce expenses. In the future, there is a possibility of installing automatic protective doors on the stations of the first two lines, as well as the idea of creating an aeroexpress to Minsk National Airport. However, according to Protasov, passenger traffic to the airport is currently insufficient to implement this project.

Conclusion

In the near future, the Minsk Metro will focus on developing the Zelenoluzhskaya line and designing the circular line. The extension of the blue and red lines will depend on urban development and the needs of residents. Despite the challenges, Minsk's underground transport system continues to evolve, becoming increasingly modern and convenient for its citizens.