Moscow mayor suggests building separate metro system

MOSCOW. January 14. KAZINFORM The mayor of Moscow has suggested building a second metro system in the Russian capital, the Kommersant business daily said on Wednesday.

Yury Luzhkov made the suggestion on Tuesday at a city government meeting to discuss development plans for the capital's underground system. The new system would be separate from the Moscow Metro. (Image gallery) The capital's budget for 2009 has been cut by $6.4 billion, and is not clear where the funding for Luzhkov's scheme would come from, however. According to a new city development plan, adopted in late December, a total of 360 km (224 miles) of metro lines will be built in Moscow by 2025. Most of them will extend existing lines to the densely populated residential areas of Butovo, Mitino, Zhulebino and Novokosino. Luzhkov earlier suggested building a second ring line for the existing metro. This project is unlikely to be completed anytime soon, however, Kazainform refers to RIA Novosti.