The Pantano-S. Giovanni stretch of the new metro C line will be opening a year and a half earlier than predicted, Romes mayor Walter Veltroni has announced. The 21 stations of the Pantano-S.Giovanni section will be open in February 2011.

The mayor hopes that the Pantano-Venezia (T3) section will be completed by October 2013 while the entire Pantano-Venezia-Mazzini/Clodio line should be ready by June 2015. It will comprise some 30 stations and is set to be over 25 kilometres long. The journey from the first to the last stop is estimated at 45 minutes.

Two metro C construction sites out of 19 have concluded archaeological samplings and no remains have been reported in these areas (Torre Spaccata/Torrenova and Mazzini), the city reports.

With regards to the other sections (in the more sensitive areas of the historic centre), excavations will continue until March. Only then will authorities be able to assess whether archaeological remains will hinder works for the new metro C line.

Archaeological sampling is currently in progress in areas between Piazza Venezia-S. Giovanni and Piazza Venezia-Mazzini/Clodio. For more information and the list of areas where remains have been discovered to date (Via dei Fori Imperiali, Piazza Venezia, S.Andrea, Chiesa Nuova, Piazza Paoli) see www.comunediroma.it or www.metroroma.it.