Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Gov't Says Experts Wrong, Budapest's South Circle Railway Not Overpriced

Gov't Says Experts Wrong, Budapest's South Circle Railway Not Overpriced

After experts labeled Budapest’s partly-new South Circle railway project, to be built by Orbán-ally businessman Lőrinc Mészáros, “staggeringly overpriced,” the government denied any such claims. A state secretary said that experts are “ignoring many aspects of the project.” Leftist daily Népszava, meanwhile, claims that Lőrinc Mészáros won the project without any other serious contenders.

In short, the South Circle Railway project involves the track revamp and extension of the 7-km-long section between the Ferencváros and Kelenföld stations, in addition to the establishment of two new stations.

Experts: “staggeringly overpriced”


As we previously reported, V-Híd Zrt., a company owned by Lőrinc Mészáros, has won the largest part of the tender with a net bid of HUF 337.9 billion (EUR 945 million). In reference to unnamed experts, economic site G7 reported that the project is “staggeringly overpriced,” as professionals estimate such a job to normally cost around HUF 30-50 billion (EUR 84-140 million) at most, which is only a tenth of Mészáros’s winning bid.

The economic investigative site also compared the bid with other similar projects across Europe, which also found that the development even stands out in international comparison.

Therefore, two opposition MPs (namely Párbeszéd’s Olivió Kocsis-Cake and DK’s Gergely Arató) turned to the government, demanding answers about the pricing.

State secretary Orbán: “experts’ calculations superficial”


In response, state secretary Balázs Orbán insisted that overpricing was out of question. He labeled the project the “biggest railway development in Hungary in more than 100 years,” explaining that it would triple the capacity of the railway line on Budapest’s suburban railway’s main section.

In his view, the calculations of the “experts” published in the aforementioned outlet are “superficial” and are “ignoring many aspects of the project.”

Not only will the tracks be extended within the urban environment, but existing tracks and structures will also be rebuilt. In total, some seven new railway bridges will be built along the railway, together with more than 5 km of new reinforced concrete abutments, he also claimed.

The project additionally includes utilities, road and bridgehead works required for the bridges, and two new barrier-free stops along the line.

In addition, 35,000 square meters of noise barriers will be built and at least 2,000 windows in the surrounding residential buildings will be replaced in order to improve insulation, he said. The development will provide the opportunity to create new direct links between our rural cities and will also help to reduce road traffic congestion, making Budapest a cleaner, greener city, he concluded.

Népszava: Mészáros won bid without any other serious contender


Meanwhile, Népszava writes that Lőrinc Mészáros’ V-Híd won the project without any other major, serious contender. Only one other company eventually challenged the prime minister’s fast-emerging friend, according to the left-wing daily, but they proposed a slightly worse offer.

The scale of the project is well illustrated by the fact that last year V-Híd had an income of HUF 39 billion (EUR 108.3 million), making a profit of HUF 8 billion (EUR 22.2 million), meaning that the bid of this project is equivalent to nine years of their income.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Unelected PM of the UK holds an emergency meeting because a candidate got voted in… which he says is a threat to democracy…
Farmers break through police barriers in Brussels.
Ukraine Arrests Father-Son Duo In Lockbit Cybercrime Bust
US Offers $15 Million For Info On Leaders Of Cybercrime Group Lockbit
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
Alexei Navalny: UK sanctions Russian prison chiefs after activist's death
German economy is in 'troubled waters' - ministry
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Tucker Carlson says Boris Johnson wants "a million dollars, in Bitcoin or cash, from Tucker Carlson to talk about Ukraine.
Russia is rebuilding capacity to destabilize European countries, new UK report warns
EU Commission wants anti-drone defenses at Brussels HQ
Von der Leyen’s 2nd-term pitch: More military might, less climate talk
EU Investigates TikTok for Child Safety Concerns
EU Launches Probe Into TikTok Over Child Protection Under Digital Content Law
EU and UK Announce Joint Effort on Migration
Ministers Confirm Proposal to Prohibit Mobile Phone Usage in English Schools
Avdiivka - Symbol Of Ukrainian Resistance Now In Control Of Russian Troops
"Historic Step": Zelensky Signs Security Pact With Germany
"Historic Step": Zelensky Signs Security Pact With Germany
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
Tucker Carlson grocery shopping in Russia. This is so interesting.
France and Germany Struggle to Align on European Defense Strategy
‘A lot higher than we expected’: Russian arms production worries Europe’s war planners
Greece Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage and Adoption Rights
Russia "Very Close" To Creating Cancer Vaccines, Says Vladimir Putin
Hungarian Foreign Minister: Europeans will lose Europe, the Union's policy must change drastically
Microsoft says it caught hackers from China, Russia and Iran using its AI tools
US Rejects Putin's Ceasefire Offer in Ukraine
The Dangers of Wildfire Smoke and Self-Protection Strategies
A Londoner has been arrested for expressing his Christian beliefs.
Chinese Women Favor AI Boyfriends Over Humans
Greece must address role in migrant vessel disaster that killed 600: Amnesty
Google pledges 25 million euros to boost AI skills in Europe
Hungarian President Katalin Novák Steps Down Amid Pardon Controversy
Activist crashes Hillary Clinton's speech, calls her a 'war criminal.'
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Trudeau reacts to Putin's mention of Canadian Parliament applauding a former Ukrainian Nazi in his interview with Tucker Carlson.
The Spanish police blocked the farmers protest. So the farmers went out and moved the police car out of the way.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy fires top Ukraine army commander
Tucker Carlson's interview with Vladimir Putin raises EU concerns
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
Russia's Economy Expands by 3.6% Due to Increased Military Spending
Ukraine MPs Vote To Permit Use Of Dead Soldiers' Sperm
German Princess Becomes First Aristocrat To Pose Naked On Playboy Cover
UK’s King Charles III diagnosed with cancer
EU's Ursula von der Leyen Confronts Farmer Protests Amid Land Policy Debates
Distinguishing Between Harmful AI Media and Positive AI-Generated Content: A Crucial Challenge for the EU
Tucker Carlson explains why he interviewed Putin
Dutch farmers are still protesting in the Netherlands against the government, following the World Economic Forum's call for 'owning nothing.'
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stands up for European farmers and says, 'Brussels is suffocating European farmers.
×