BIG TASK IN MUNICH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 190, 28 August 1937, Page 17

BIG TASK IN MUNICH

Moving a Railway Station

Following Eeichsfuhrer Hitler 's announeement that some of the laTgest German towns aro to be ro-built, a 25year old plan for the city of Munich, is now to be execnted. Munich station, which with the broad band of lines behind it, juts into the life of the city like a liuge breakwater, is to be moved to a point where the tx*ains to Yienna and the Balkan countries and those to Eome can travel on without making the unnecessary divo into Munich and being reversed. , With regard to the railway therefore, Munich will be far moro conveniont as a main Centrai European juncuon, while' the munieipality is looking forward to having a iarge opou space in tlxe centre which will offer a splendid opportunity for modern town-planning. This space in the centre is to be cont'erted into a wide road, the two lanes of traffic separated by an avenuo of trees, and flanked by hotels and the ad-

ministrative buildings of the railway company. The distance from the new station to the centre of the town has given rise to a lively diseussion on the proposed construction of an underground raili way. The moTe conservative section of opinion points out that for a city of lcss than 1,000,000 inhabitants a subway is a luxury; on the other hand it is claimed that Munich is growing fast and is expected to continue to do so while it is fostered as the second capital of the Reich by the National Soeialist Farty, and within a generatiou, it is held, the luxux-y.,of to.-day may havo become a necessity. To install the xrnderground while this large piece of ground is still open, is seen as an op-. portunity which will probably not re« cur. It xs expected that the shxfting of .Munich station will take about 10 years, the chief problem being the maintaining of traffic during the building period.