The Izmir municipality plans to invite bids in September for the construction of further stages of a metro system for the Aegean city, according to its mayor, Burhan Ozfatura. The route will be enlarged to eliminate traffic congestion problems, Ozfatura added.

Sweden's ABB Traction with the local Yapi Merkezi will complete a contract valued at about $387 million for the metro's first, 11-kilometre stage in about two years' time. The consultant for design and construction supervision for the municipality is a venture of the US' Louis Berger International with the local Yuksel Proje.

The cost of the enlarged system will amount to about $646 million, with the three additional lines now foreseen with a total length of 12 kilometres, says Ozfatura. Bids will be invited first for two lines running respectively between Bornova hospital via Bornova Aegean University to Bornova centre, and from Bornova hospital via the university again to a new bus terminal. Bids will be invited at a later date, probably in early 1988, for the third line between Ucyol and Fahrettin Altay after feasibility studies have been completed, Ozfatura said.