Caretaker Minister of Finance Siniša Mali and Director of PUC “Belgrade Metro and Train” Andreja Mladenović visited today, October 14, the construction site in Makiško Polje, at the location of the future metro station “Bele Vode”, where the launching of one of the two TBM machines that will dig the underground tunnels for the first line of the Belgrade Metro is planned.
During the visit, it was highlighted that the first TBM machine, commonly known as the “mole”, is currently located near the border with Romania, and its arrival at the Port of Pančevo is expected in the coming days, following a rise in the water level of the Danube river.
The “mole” is an impressive machine weighing around 1,800 tons, measuring over 100 meters in length, with a diameter of nearly 10 meters. Its arrival marks a crucial step in the realization of one of the most significant infrastructure projects in Belgrade.
At the same time, construction work has also commenced at the location of the future metro station in Karaburma, near the Pančevo Bridge, where the launch shaft for the second TBM machine will be established. Its arrival in Serbia is expected in mid-November.
Following delivery, the assembly of the machines and preparations for the start of excavation will take place. One TBM machine will begin operation from the site of the future station “Bele Vode” in Makiš, moving toward the “Sajam” station, while the second will operate from the direction of Karaburma, also heading toward Sajam. In this way, the two machines will build underground tunnels simultaneously from opposite sides of the route, advancing toward each other.
The underground tunnel, with a total length of about 11 kilometers, is divided into two sections, allowing construction work to be carried out concurrently on different parts of the alignment. Once operational, the TBM machines will be capable of excavating approximately 10 meters of tunnel per day, working 24 hours a day.
The Director of PUC “Belgrade Metro and Train”, Andreja Mladenović, emphasized that the construction of the Belgrade Metro is an extremely complex and demanding project, involving numerous preparatory activities, the relocation of existing utilities and the implementation of intricate technical processes.
“The Belgrade Metro is an exceptionally complex project that requires a great deal of time, effort and dedication. These are processes whose scale and complexity exceed any past experience in delivering infrastructure projects in our city. However, I am confident that the effort and patience will pay off. We will have state-of-the-art trains, signaling and equipment. Belgrade deserves to have a metro system like this”, Mladenović said.
During the tour, it was announced that the gradual start of construction work on the first-line metro stations is expected during the coming year, in line with the dynamics of obtaining the necessary building permits. According to announcements, the goal is for all construction work on Line 1 to be completed by the end of 2029, followed by a six-to-eight-month period for system testing and commissioning.
The first line of the Belgrade Metro will connect Železnik and Mirijevo and will feature 21 stations. The second line is planned to connect Mirijevo and Bežanijska kosa, while the third line is expected to connect Bežanijska kosa with the Trošarina area. Construction on the second line is expected to begin in 2028.
The two TBM machines were manufactured at the CRCHI factory in Changsha, China, where they successfully completed Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) in April. Their transport to Serbia began in August and is being conducted in two phases. In the first phase, one complete machine is being delivered along with part of the second machine's components, while the remaining parts of the second machine will be delivered in the second phase.
The arrival and commissioning of the TBM machines represent an important milestone in the implementation of the Belgrade Metro's first line and a significant step toward constructing a modern public transport system in Belgrade.
