• $ 1.7
  • € 1.8346
  • ₽ 2.0118
  • ₺ 0.0448
  • £ 2.196

Paris mayor candidate promises lush makeovers for ghost metro stations - PHOTO

Paris mayor candidate promises lush makeovers for ghost metro stations - PHOTO
29.05.2020 01:44
It is one of those extravagant but vote-winning political projects that will almost certainly be filed under "nice-idea-but-who-will-pay?"

Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, the centre-right UMP candidate for mayor of Paris, has livened up an otherwise lacklustre campaign with a series of stunning photographs of how the city's ghost metro stations might be used.Futuristic photographs show the Arsenal station, near the Bastille – closed in 1939 at the start of the second world war and never reopened – transformed into a gleaming swimming pool, theatre and concert hall, nightclub, art gallery and even refectory-style restaurant.Kosciusko-Morizet, known by her initials NKM, says the plans drawn up by two Paris architects are "examples of the field of possibilities" of uses for the underground stations, and that if elected she will ask Parisians for their own ideas.There are a total of 16 ghost stations on the Paris metro; stops that were closed or never opened. Most of them were shut up in 1939, while two of them were built but never opened to the public.Some have been temporarily transformed for advertising campaigns or film settings, as was the original Porte-des-Lilas, closed in 1935 but used as a backdrop for the Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain. Part of the now-abandoned Saint-Martin stop, closed in 1939, is used as shelter for the homeless during the winter.The stunning photographs, however, have failed to boost support for NKM, who is struggling to catch up with Socialist Anne Hidalgo, the frontrunner in the mayoral race and protege of the current mayor, Bertrand Delanoë. An Ifop survey for Le Parisien published at the end of January suggested 39.5% of Parisians would vote for Hidalgo in the first round on 22 March, and 54 % in the second round on 30 March, with 36.5 % then 46% voting for NKM. The three other candidates from the far left Parti de Gauche, Europe Ecologie Les Verts and the far-right Front National would trail behind with scores failing to reach double figures in the final round, according to the poll.The Paris metro has been something of a thorny subject for Kosciusko-Morizet, a one-time government minister. During Nicolas Sarkozy's unsuccessful 2012 re-election campaign she was mocked for not knowing the price of an underground train ticket (she said €4 instead of €1.70). Then in November she was ridiculed as being out of touch with the real world after describing one of the network's busiest – and some say dirtiest – lines as "a place of charm".(theguardian.com)ANN.Az

Similar news
Similar news
Trump says he thinks Iran is game for direct nuclear talks
World 10:00
Trump says he thinks Iran is game for direct nuclear talks
IMF's Georgieva says US tariffs represent significant risk to global outlook
World 09:30
IMF's Georgieva says US tariffs represent significant risk to global outlook
Netanyahu may visit US next week, Trump says
World 09:12
Netanyahu may visit US next week, Trump says
Economy Ministry on Trump tariffs: Challenging, not critical
World 20:35
Economy Ministry on Trump tariffs: Challenging, not critical
Armenia may tighten penalties for those evading military service
World 17:00
Armenia may tighten penalties for those evading military service
Pashinyan says he received his driver’s license without taking the exam
World 16:00
Pashinyan says he received his driver’s license without taking the exam
Russia is not surprised by Trump's comments on oil tariffs, Ryabkov says
World 14:52
Russia is not surprised by Trump's comments on oil tariffs, Ryabkov says
U.S. tariffs to also apply to Ferrari cars ordered months ago
World 13:24
U.S. tariffs to also apply to Ferrari cars ordered months ago
Turkey to step up diplomatic push to reinstate Gaza ceasefire, Erdogan says
World 11:00
Turkey to step up diplomatic push to reinstate Gaza ceasefire, Erdogan says
Anews TV

Our official Youtube channel

Subscribe