RUSSIA: St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov has ceremonially launched construction of the 21 km Kupchino – Shushary – Slavyanka fast light rail line, which will be separate from the city’s existing tram network.
The line is to be built under a 30-year PPP concession agreement signed in October 2019 by the city government and the Baltnedvizhservis joint venture of ABZ-1 and Gazprombank. Private investment in the project will amount to 25·9bn roubles.
The ceremony on August 10 marked the start of preparatory works including utility relocation, although the full documentation which will enable the main works to begin is not expected to be finalised until later in the year.
The line is scheduled to open in 2024, and will included 15 stops, a depot and a fleet of 22 modern multi-section low-floor trams.
