According to Abdolazim Rezaei, Tehran-Pardis subway line will be connected to Tehran Metro’s Line 2 at Farhangsara Station and will stretch 24.7 kilometers to the east, IRIB news reported.
The line will have three stations, namely Tehran East Terminal, Tehran-Pardis road toll and Pardis Technology Park in the far east of the capital, he added.
"Negotiations have been held with the private sector over the financial issues and the project will be launched, as soon as topographic studies are completed," Financial Tribune quoted Rezaei as saying.
Pardis is a developing satellite city located in the eastern flank of the capital. In view of the rapidly growing residential construction there, a considerable number of people are expected to converge on Pardis, which calls for expanding urban facilities, such as public transportation services.
The extension of Tehran’s subway network to the capital's surrounding cities like Malard, Varamin and Pardis has been debated for years. Fortunately, the construction of new subway lines is high on the municipality’s agenda.
However, the improvement of conditions will take time, perhaps years. In the meantime, commuters hope things improve with the allocation of funds and strict oversight on spending policies.
Rezaei said there are no worries about the financial issue, as the project is set to be financed by the private sector.
Saeid Ghafouri, the chief executive of state-owned Omran Pardis New Town Company, said the construction of metro line to Pardis will need an estimated 20 trillion rials ($153million), which comes down to $6.1 million per kilometer.
Subway construction costs vary in different countries, depending on land value, construction costs and equipment prices.
For instance, the completion of Madrid’s Metrosur line, which is 41 km long and has 28 stations, took four years and cost $58 million per km.
Singapore’s Circle Line runs 35 kilometers with 28 stations and cost $4.8 billion, or $130 million per kilometer.
Currently, Tehran’s subway network stretches over 220 kilometers and comprises seven lines (1 to 7) with nearly 120 stations. Line 6 and 7 are still under construction.
Several more lines are also being mapped for areas lacking access to subway lines.