The escalators at the Serdika 2 metro station in the direction of Sveta Nedelya Square have not been working for weeks, bTV viewers reported. On site, it was found that only one of the three escalators is currently functioning, which according to passengers has been the usual situation over the past month.
The problem creates difficulties for mothers with children, the elderly and passengers with reduced mobility.
The executive director of Metropolitan, Nikolay Naydenov, spoke on the topic. He explained that the maintenance of the escalators is not carried out directly by “Metropolitan“, but is assigned to an external international company with a representative office in Bulgaria, selected under the Public Procurement Act.
“The company has been sanctioned several times. We have taken all possible actions under the contract, including legal ones, to terminate the relationship in compliance with the legislation“, said Naydenov. According to him, the lack of spare parts and delayed deliveries do not justify the duration of the problem, which has already been more than a month.
“Metropolitan“ specified that a reverse mode has currently been introduced - one escalator is used for ascending, and the descent is done on foot. The company apologized to the citizens and emphasized that it is responsible for the overall service, not just for the transport activity.
Regarding the elevators, Naydenov stated that they are available and can be used, but during peak hours the load is high. According to data from “Metropolitan“, the average daily passenger flow exceeds 450,000 people, and on some days it reaches over 600,000.
The company called for more patience, culture and mutual understanding, emphasizing that mothers with children, pregnant women and people with disabilities should be given priority.
At the moment, “Metropolitan“ cannot commit to a specific deadline for eliminating the problem. Citizens remain waiting for a permanent solution.