Reconstruction work on the southern section of Budapest’s M3 metro line is currently proceeding according to schedule, despite the coronavirus epidemic. In order to protect refurbishment workers, operations in tunnels and stations are dispersed and modernisation in narrower operating areas is being carried out with appropriate social distancing and hygiene regulations.
At the southern terminus of Kőbánya-Kispest station, the track pairs have already been replaced with new ones and the cover of the so-called third rail, which will provide electric power to trains, will soon be completed. Diesel freight cars circulate almost non-stop between Kőbánya-Kispest and Nagyvárad tér, the northernmost stop of the M3 section currently under renovation, so that the supply of construction materials, tools, new machinery, equipment and disposal of waste are not disrupted.
The most important new accessories – ventilation units, main vents, mist extinguishers – are now in place. Once the electricity is switched on, according to the current schedule, the testing procedure may begin in late summer. The supporting structure of the suspended ceilings and wall coverings at stations has dramatically transformed the look of the public areas, and the floor coverings on Határ út and Ecseri út already give us a hint of the metro’s new colours.
