A debate has erupted in Kyiv regarding how to make citizens' stay in underground bomb shelters more comfortable and safe. An initiative from the capital's residents proposes using metro cars not only for transporting passengers but also as full-fledged shelters during air raids.

Petition to place cars on stations

On Thursday, June 4, a proposal appeared on the official electronic petitions portal of the Kyiv City Council (KCS), authored by Denys Vasylovych Yakymchuk. The essence of the initiative is to place metro cars directly on the stations when they are used by the population as bomb shelters.

As of Monday evening, June 8, petition No. 14283 had gathered 585 signatures. To be considered by the authorities, it is necessary to collect 6,000 votes, and there are still 55 days left for the collection.

The problem of comfort in the underground

The author of the petition emphasizes that modern metro stations, despite their reliability, are not designed for long-term human habitation. The infrastructure is calculated for short-term waiting for a train, not for multi-hour or multi-day stays during massive attacks.

As a result, residents are forced to solve the issue of comfort themselves. Tents, mattresses, and chairs that people bring with them appear on the stations. This creates a certain logistical and sanitary load on the underground passages.

Three arguments in favor of shelter cars

The initiators of the proposal argue their position with three main points that could change the approach to civil defense in the capital:

  • Increased comfort: Being in a car with seats and the ability to close off from prying eyes is significantly more convenient than waiting for an alarm on concrete platforms.
  • Protection of rolling stock: Placing trains at the safe depth of stations minimizes the risk of their damage in case of possible strikes on surface objects or tracks.
  • Evacuation in emergencies: In the event of emergency situations, such as a fire or the destruction of station exits, the trains located there can be promptly used for the emergency evacuation of the injured.

Context of the initiative

This petition did not arise out of thin air. Previously, scandals related to the mass appearance of tents in the metro during alarms had already occurred in Kyiv. Authorities and the public were looking for compromise solutions to ensure people's safety without violating sanitary norms and rules for using public transport.

Previously, the issue of opening restrooms in the metro for citizens was also discussed, which indicates a growing demand to adapt underground infrastructure to the new realities of life in wartime conditions.