After five years of stagnation - green light for the renovation of "Sveta Nedelya" square. It is expected that the reconstruction will begin next summer, and part of the boulevard will become pedestrian.
Metal fences, broken tiles and broken pegs - this is how the square looks to this day, bTV found.
„These tiles, first of all, are not tiles. As you can see, they are broken. Someone might trip, fall and become a big trouble”, commented Simona Bogdanova.
In 2019, with an international competition, an Italian architect won a project for the reconstruction.
The then mayor Yordanka Fandakova promised that the renovation would begin in 2021. 5 years after the competition, however, there is a project on paper, but no repairs have started.
„The technical project will be finally completed in a few months”, said municipal councilor Boris Bonev.
„The public tender will be held within the next year. Even if funding is not found for all the stages, at least those that start in front of the Courthouse and “Alabin” - can be crafted. So - as early as next year, within the summer season of active construction”, says Boris Bonev.
According to the plan - along the “Stamboliyski“ a new 400-meter tram line will be built, and access for cars will be restricted.
„How do you imagine this actually happening? The idea is great if there are fewer cars in Sofia. Yes, I imagine it very well, but is it possible“, commented an architect.
The line will be from "Vazrazhdane" square; to “Holy Sunday”. Its purpose is to ease the load on the tram line along "Alabin" street.
„Question - you see what the traffic is like. A tram should also come - all this traffic you see has nowhere to come here, because it will be pedestrianized here”, says Boris Bonev
The entire project is worth over BGN 50 million and should be completed in 3 years.