"The Metro is already experiencing traffic jams," Dmitry Gayev, the head of the city's main transportation system, said. "If we do not change the situation, it will collapse in five years."
He added that since 2000 metro financing had been based on the so-called "residual principle."
"Even the announced 80:20 ratio, where the federal center must provide 20% of funds, has not been respected," Gayev said.
According to the official, Metro lines are already short by 80 kilometers, and four out of 11 lines experience 30% passenger overload.
Comparing the Moscow Metro with the London Tube and the Paris Metropolitan, Gayev said Moscow's Metro transported about 56% of the passenger volume, whereas London and Paris' metro systems carried 20%-25%.
The Moscow Metro lines, which transport 8-9 million passengers on weekdays, cover a distance of more than 278 km, with 11 lines and 171 stations featuring various styles of architecture. It is considered one of the most beautiful subways in the world.
The official said the Moscow government had recently adopted a plan for the development of the Moscow Metro until 2015, which includes a provision to build an additional 80km and expand the underground transportation network to 340km.
