DIFFERENCES have emerged between the Buenos Aires city authorities and Subte concessionaire Metrovías over expanding the five-line metro network. Two lines are currently on the drawing board: a 10·8 km Line H from Retiro to Nueva Pompeya via Plaza Miserere and Jujuy, and a 7·6 km Line F from Plaza Italia to Constitución via Callao and Congreso (RG 2.97 p75).
Line H is favoured by the city government, which hopes to call tenders in October for a concessionaire to put up 60% of the 800m pesos civil engineering cost and fund the acquisition of M&E equipment including 128 cars under a build-operate-transfer mechanism incorporating a 30-year franchise (RG 6.97 p350).
Metrovías favours construction of Line F, to relieve Lines C and D, and expects to provide between 30 and 50% of the 537m pesos cost. Construction could begin in 2000, according to Planning Manager José Barbero; some 60million passengers a year are forecast for Line F, which would open before 2005.
Less ambitious projects are also causing friction. Commited to investing US$135m in 1998-2000, Metrovías wishes to extend Subte Line A by three stations from Primera Junta to Plaza Flores. As this parallels the Sarmiento commuter service of Trenes de Buenos Aires, the city’s Planning & Services Secretary Nicol
