A private elevated light metro may appear in Irkutsk as part of the New Metro of Russia initiative. The author says rides would be free for residents thanks to leasing commercial space in station complexes, and the line could later be extended to Angarsk, Usolye Sibirskoye and other satellite cities. The city hall has already reviewed the idea and found it interesting, though there are no budget funds for it now.
As project leader and businessman Rinat Bichurin reported, a private elevated metro may appear in Irkutsk as part of the “New Metro of Russia” initiative.The proposal to build a private elevated light metro in Irkutsk was officially submitted to the city administration on June 17, 2015, and again on September 9.
According to the project, the metro could become completely free for city residents. Free rides would be provided by business representatives renting commercial premises within station complexes. In the future, such a transport line could also connect satellite cities into a single agglomeration with a population of up to 1 million people. Branches of such a metro could be extended to Angarsk, Usolye-Sibirskoye, and other settlements.
It is fundamentally important that the ride be free. Introducing a fare here simply makes no sense—it would lead to a reduction in passenger traffic and, accordingly, rental income,” Rinat Bichurin clarified.
The Irkutsk mayor’s office confirmed that they had received the businessman’s request. The application was reviewed and even drew interest.
“This is certainly very interesting, and theoretically it is possible to build a light metro in Irkutsk,” says Alexandra Zavgorodnyaya, an employee of the press service of the Committee on Cultural Policy. “But Rinat Bichurin proposes implementing the project at the expense of the city budget, and at the moment there are no funds for this. Perhaps in the future such transport will become a reality for Irkutsk.”