Exarchia metro station will only take up tenth of local square, says minister

He added that his ministry has signed an agreement with Athens Municipality to plant 2,000 more trees than originally foreseen following the construction of the new line.

The planned metro station on Exarchia Square will take up less than 10% of its surface area, the infrastructure minister said on Friday.

Speaking to private radio broadcaster SKAI, Giorgos Karagiannis, deputy minister for infrastructure and transport, said that “Exarchia Square has an area of 2,984 square meters and the space that will be used, after the station is built, is 243 square meters.”

He added that his ministry has signed an agreement with Athens Municipality to plant 2,000 more trees than originally foreseen following the construction of the new line.

Architectural competitions would also be held to upgrade all the squares with access to the new metro stations.

The new line will be used by 340,000 people every day, taking 55,000 vehicles from the roads, he said.

Some local residents and activists oppose the construction of a station on Exarchia Square, fearing that it will destroy the area and change its character.