Centralny Port Komunikacyjny has obtained an environmental decision for the first of the two sections of the Large Speed Railway line between Warsaw and Lodz. In addition, a tender for the drilling of a long-distance tunnel near the center of Lodz will be announced in the coming days, said Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Marcin Horała.
The environmental decision for the priority railway investment of the CPK was issued last week by the Regional Director of Environmental Protection (RDOŚ) in Warsaw. The document concerns the section from Western Warsaw to the CPK junch (exactly to the provincial road No. 579). This is the first environmental decision obtained by the CPK regarding the High Speed Railways, it was announced.
The decision of the Warsaw RDOŚ has the rigour of immediate feasibility. The document opens the way for the CPK to apply for water-law approvals, a location decision, and then a building permit, has been added.
At the same time, in RDOŚ in Lodz there is an advanced procedure for obtaining an application for an environmental decision for the section of the CPK – Lodz node (from the national road No. 50 on the western side of the planned airport to Lodz Fabryczna).
“A waiting tender is ready for the construction of a long-distance tunnel in Lodz. In the case of the Lodz tunnel, work is already underway. Firstly, since September, there has been piling on the foundations of the Lodz House of Culture (DK) – in the vicinity of the Lodz Fabryczna station. This is the result of an agreement worth PLN 93 million signed by CPK with Keller Polska. Secondly, last week, CPK signed a contract worth PLN 147 million with Budimex for the construction of chambers for the TBM mechanized shield: the launch (to Retkini) and the receiving (in the vicinity of the DK and the Fabryczna Lodz). During the signing of this contract, it was made a declaration that the third stage of the investment will be a drilling of the CPK railway tunnel,”it was announced.
“The tender for the drilling of the long-distance tunnel in Lodz is ready. In the next few days, this proceeding will be formally announced. The work related to the construction of the CPK tunnel in Lodz consistently and as planned goes forward,” said Horała.
The CPK tunnel in Lodz will be designed for long-distance trains (as opposed to the PKP PLK tunnel built next to the PKP PLK tunnel, which is regional and agglomeration). In the case of the CPK line, the trains will stop at the Lodz Fabryczna station. The exit of the tunnel to the surface is planned south-west of Lodz Kaliska, near the Retkinia housing estate and the existing railway line No. 14. Next, the route will lead to the west – towards Sieradz and Wrocław. Between the Fabryczna and Retkinia chambers, the CPK will be more than 4.6 km long. Due to the dense development on the surface and difficult ground-water conditions, the tunnel will be performed by the TBM disc. Two tracks will fit in. The diameter of the TBM disc provided for drilling the tunnel is approx. 14 meters. The line will be electrified in the 3kV AC system. The design speed in the tunnel is 160 km/h, but on the exit to the surface in the area of Retkini, the train will be able to accelerate to 200 km/h.
The Central Port of Komunikacyjny is a State Treasury company established for the implementation of the Multiannual Program of the Central Communication Port, which includes the construction of a new central airport for Poland and the coordination and implementation of accompanying investments, including the modernization of existing and the construction of a new network of railway lines, expressways, highways and other technical infrastructure.
Source: CPK and ISBnews
