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Kazan Metro
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Kazan Metro (; ) is a rapid-transit system that serves the city of Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Opened on August 27, 2005, it is the newest system in Russia, and the first one to open after the break up of the Soviet Union.
History
PlanningKazan is a historic and cultural centre on the middle Volga. The first plans to have a rapid-transit system were proposed back in the days of the Russian Empire, but after the October Revolution and the Russian Civil War little was left for the design. Nevertheless, in the 1930s, Kazan, being the capital of the Tatar ASSR—one of the most visible autonomous republics and rapidly growing as an industrial centre—prompted some to propose a rapid transit system for the future, particularly after the successful construction of Moscow Metro in 1935.
However, World War II ended such attempts, and in the post-war USSR only the largest capitals of Union republics could afford a Metro system. Nevertheless, in 1979 the Kazan city's population passed the one million mark: a Soviet requirement for a Metro to be allowed. 1983 was the year when the Supreme Soviet of the Tatar ASSR authorised planning a metro system. The original design was to prove the final, as the City of Kazan effectively followed a typical Soviet model with a historical centre on the inflow of the Kazanka River into the Volga, and the various industrial and "bedroom" districts (housing complexes) on the edges. The first line would follow a north-south axis beginning in the Transit Railway Station in the north, passing through the post-war Stalinist buildings and then down south of the Kazanka, next to the Kazan Kremlin and through the historical centre to the microdistrict of Gorki.
The first geological surveillance began in 1984, and by 1989 the construction of the first stage was drawn up and submitted for final authorisation to begin construction. It was not to be. In 1991, the Soviet Union broke up and the economic, as well as political turmoil that rocked Tatarstan and Russia, caused the Kazan Metro project to be axed.
Construction
Luckily for Kazan, throughout the 1990s, the status of it being the most visible autonomous capital reinforced its position; enough for the Federal government to issue a review of the project in 1995 and authorising the construction. The most prominent deadline was the city's millennium anniversary in 2005. After securing financing and training, the first stone was laid on August 27, 1997 in a triumphal display eight years prior to beginning.
The first stage of six stations would feature deep level tunnels all built by tunnel boring machines and for the stations to be either sub-surface or elevated. Little of the original Soviet station plans was left in the architecture of the stations, with emphasis on traditional Tatar and Islamic motives as well as modern high-tech designs. The first shield arrived in Kazan at the end of 1999 and was launched in May 2000.
Initially, the pace was slow and the financial problems were about to prevent the construction to be completed on time. In a desperate attempt, in late 2003 the Russian Ministry of Transport ordered metro brigades from Samara and Moscow to assist and the first stage was made one station shorter, leaving the difficult path under the Kazanka River to open at latter time. Another contribution was made by the Almaty Metro construction brigade from Kazakhstan. Thus, by the late 2004, a total of eight tunnel boring mechanisms were in operation. On the whole a total of thirteen individual tunnels had to be bored.
Despite a rocky start, Kazan Metro was triumphantly opened on August 27, 2005 by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaymiyev, and the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, as well as the mayor of Kazan and the heads of all existing Russian Metros.
OperationAt present, the Kazan Metro is a single-line system that stretches seven kilometres and has five stations. As the newest of all Russian systems, it is also the most modern of them. Smart-card ticketing and semi-automated train drive are features that at the time were just being introduced in selected Moscow stations, let alone in complete metro systems. It is operated by a municipality company KazElektroTrans ().
Like all Metros in Russia and the former USSR, the station design exceeds all parameters and each station has its own architectural theme. At present two stations are single-vault, and two are pillar-spans. In addition, there is one station that exists on a combined glazed flyover.
Service
The metro runs from 6:00 to 23:00. The metro also sells "smart-tokens" valid for one day and "smart cards" (passes) which are valid for several trips or a specified length of time. There are discounted fares for pensioners, students, and children. Security is a major issue in the Kazan Metro, and is like all modern systems outfit with CCTV footage and each station has its own militsiya group for public order. Unlike major Metro systems in Russia, Kazan chose to maintain stricter rules that only resemble Saint Petersburg Metro; for example, amateur photography is prohibited.
Although Russian is the only language on the technical level, the passenger service is fully bilingual with all signs and information being presented in both Russian and Tatar.
Rolling stock
The system uses the newest model 81-553.3/554.3 "Kazan" cars, produced by Saint Petersburg-based Vagonmash factory in cooperation with Škoda Dopravní Technika of Plzen, Czech Republic. These are the most modern models currently in service in Russia and the former Soviet Union and they are fully automated. As a result, they do not require an engineer or a driver on board, just a supervisor. A total of twenty-four cars are currently in operation with a capacity of 250 people each. The rolling stock is maintained and repaired out of the new "Daurskoye" depot.
FutureSince its opening in 2005, the Kazan Metro immediately cut travel time for affected commuters by over an hour. Nonetheless, there have been several problems with the system, including tunnel flooding and financial setbacks. Moreover, a partnership with Samara Metro for construction has put KazMetroStroy, the daughter company that manages construction, in debt, and in payment of this debt one of the tunnel boring shields and its brigade is currently stationed in Samara to help complete a stretch there.
In Kazan itself, two extensions are being actively built. The first one—Prospekt Pobedy—will be finished in August 2008, and the first station north of the Kazanka River will be complete in 2008 as well. The real hope is that by 2010 the line will reach the Transit Rail Terminal allowing the Metro to fully become the transport artery of the system.
In the more distant future, based on the current growth of the city, there are plans that by the 2030s the system will have up to five lines including a ring one. Kazan's circular railway will be integrated into the Metro for this.
See also
External links
- - Description
- - Unofficial website, including news and construction imagery.
- - Detailed facts and news
- - Description
- / - Statistics and Photographs
- - Facts and numbers
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