"We are at the beginning of a long journey, and we want to start the construction of the first line already in 2016. Our plans can be revised, but we have a clear-cut plan, the understanding of the project and people's request for convenient public transportation," Vorobyov said.
He explained that the first line will pass through Khimki, a town in Moscow's suburbs.
Vorobyov added that the cost of building a conventional underground subway stands at about 4.5-5 billion rubles per kilometer (approximately $70 million USD), while the construction of a light metro will cost 1 billion rubles for 1 kilometer (about $15 million USD).
The light metro is estimated to have a capacity of between 10,000 and 20,000 passengers per hour.
Vorobyov floated the idea of building a light metro in the Moscow Region in June 2014 during a working meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who endorsed the idea.
