November 24 (SeeNews) - Romania's government has approved a 1 billion euro ($1.18 billion) plan for the construction of a subway line and a metropolitan train line in the northwestern city of Cluj-Napoca, the transport ministry said on Tuesday.
Financing for the project will be provided through non-reimbursable EU funds, local budgets and other resources, the transport ministry said in a press release.
The subway line will be 14.4 km long with 14 stations. The project also envisages the construction of a metropolitan train line to connect the subway line to the city's international airport and central train station.
In April, Cluj-Napoca municipality said it signed a 36 million lei ($8 million/ 7.4 million euro) deal with an Italian-French-Romanian consortium comprising SWS Engineering Spa, Systra and Metrans Engineering for pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for the project.
The feasibility study for the construction of a metropolitan train line in Cluj municipality is expected to be delivered in 14 months, while the feasibility study for the subway line will be delivered in 26 months, according to the contract.
With a population of over 730,000, Cluj will be the second city in Romania to have a subway, after Bucharest.
($=0.8414 euro)