Moscow Consumer Rights Protection Society filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the capital's subway system because the temperature exceeds sanitary standards at underground stations and in the passenger cars.
Temperatures have reached 31-32 degrees Celsius (around 90 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Moscow subway though the allowable standard is 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Following an initial inspection on June 11, it was found that "floor surfaces at some stations do not meet [safety] standards and noise in trains is much higher than the maximum allowable rates," the consumer rights protection society spokesman said.
Temperatures in Moscow have hovered at around 90 degrees Fahrenheit for four weeks now, and there is little sign of relief in the near future. Temperatures are expected to top 95 degrees toward the end of this week.
The head of Moscow subways' press service reported on Tuesday that the Metro is currently introducing trains with air conditioning as well as improving the ventilation system. Still, according to information on the subway website, the temperatures at Moscow Metro stations continue to grow.
"The problem with the air conditioning in the Moscow subway has been around for a year... But still nothing has been done to change the situation. So we believe a lawsuit will force the Moscow Metro to move from words to deeds. Consumers buying a ticket on the Metro have the right to receive quality service and a comfortable trip, but instead passengers are forced to be in stuffy trains with faulty air conditioning systems risking their health," the spokesman continued.
In the lawsuit, Moscow Consumer Rights Protection Society demands bringing the stations and their construction into accordance with the law within 30 days after a court decision is made.
Such problems appear not only in the Moscow subway system. The New York subway, which keeps a record of temperatures at stations, has no realistic way of controlling the platform temperature in their unventilated stations. According to a New York blogger, on a day when the temperature was 92 degrees above ground, temperatures of 100 degrees were noted in at least two stations, and a 91-degree reading was recorded under a fan in the Times Square station. High temperatures of up to 106 degrees were also noted inside one station.
MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti)
