THE first high-speed line to be built in the Czech Republic has completed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for the planned section of the 63km Prague - Ostrava line between Prosenice and Ostrava. The decision allows the project to proceed to the next phase, land acquisition by infrastructure manager SŽ.
Before approving the EIA, the Ministry of the Environment assessed compliance with legal limits for noise, air quality, and other factors, including the protection of local ecosystems.
"This decision moves us into the next phase of the high-speed line project, which will significantly increase the capacity of railway infrastructure in Moravia,” says Martin Kupka, minister of transport. “At the same time, we are addressing the financing of the section from Brodek u Přerov to Ostrava as one of the first PPP projects."
Ministerial approval of the EIA was conditional on 61 comprehensive conditions for minimising or compensating for the environmental impact of the new high-speed line being met by SŽ.
"The approval of the EIA for the high-speed line represents a significant milestone," says Jiří Svoboda, director general of SŽ. “It is proof that the project is being prepared professionally and to the highest standards.”
