FIFA World Cup: Work on Samara’s Improvement to be Finished by End of April

By the beginning of the FIFA World Cup this summer, parts of the city’s embankments, as well as buildings and infrastructure like bus stops will be modernized or renovated.

Elena Lapushkina, mayor of Samara, said at a recent meeting with the governor of the region that all work on city improvements will be completed in April 2018, local news outlet Areasam.ru reported, citing the press service of the regional government.

“Samara has become the first Russian city to develop and adopt the municipal program of preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. However, not all the measures that are required under the program have been fully completed. We have a few days left, and we will use them as efficiently as possible,” Lapushkina said.

Under the program, the authorities have reconstructed the fourth line of the embankment, the Strukovsky garden and the five-star Lotte hotel. In addition, 11 km of new fences will be installed and 136 bus stop pavilions will be replaced.

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Lapushkina has also said that the construction of a new tram line is in the final stages. The first test are scheduled for March 2018.

Samara is one of 11 Russian cities that will host the matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The championship is due to kick off June 14, 2018.