Berlin’s leaders are really into this cool idea – making a train that drives itself using magnets. It’s like a super high-tech project that shows they’re serious about making the city greener. They’ve got a lot of politicians supporting it, and it fits perfectly with their big goal of having zero pollution by 2045. Sounds good, right?
So, here’s the deal: They want to build a test track for this special magnetic train, or “maglev,” that would be about 5-7 kilometers long. The cost? Somewhere around €80m-€85m (£70m-£74m). And get this – they’re hoping it’ll be up and running within the next two years!
The main guy pushing for this train is Dirk Stettner, who leads a group of politicians called the Christian Democrats (CDU). He’s really excited about the maglev because it can drive itself and doesn’t cost as much to build as regular underground trains.
But not everyone is cheering. Some people who care a lot about the environment are saying, “Hold on a minute!” They think this magnetic train is too expensive, uses too much energy, and is just a bit too fancy. The plan is to bring back an old magnetic train system from the 1980s called the M-Bahn, connecting Kreuzberg to Tiergarten in the western part of the city.
Stettner is showing off big plans and drawings, saying they need a practice track that fits right into the current transportation system. Ute Bonde, who’s in charge of the VBB transport network, likes the idea too. She says it could be a quiet, cheap way to get around, maybe even powered by the sun!
But those environmental folks are still shaking their heads. They don’t buy that this M-Bahn thing will really help fight climate change. They’re saying, “Why not just make the regular trains better?” Tilmann Heuser, a representative from the Association for Environmental and Nature Protection, believes that the funds would be better invested in more sensible projects rather than what he labels as a “far-fetched concept.”
Looking back at other times people tried to make magnetic trains, it’s clear there were challenges. And now, there’s a big question about where the money will come from. The government’s fund for fighting climate change might not be so sure about helping out. Berlin’s daily newspaper, Taz, is really skeptical about using this fund for the train and says the money should go towards things that will actually cut pollution and handle climate change, not just something that might be cool to have.
Avinash Poojari is the owner of ComClone News website. He is an accomplished author specializing in the field of information technology. With a Master’s degree in Information Technology, Avinash hails from Mumbai. Passionate about researching breaking news, he is dedicated to providing accurate and up-to-date information to his readers.