The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Brussels-Capital Region have signed a contract for a €475 million loan to finance the planned M3 north-south metro line in Brussels. The loan will be used to upgrade the underground Light Rail Transit (LRT) line between the Albert and Gare du Nord/Noordstation stations for metro operation. The metro line was originally scheduled to open in 2024, but the project was stopped in 2021 when construction work under the Palais du Midi threatened to cause the historic building to collapse. The public transport operator STIB applied for an additional €175 million to resolve the situation, but the Brussels-Capital Region proposed gutting the Palais du Midi, completing the underground work, and then rebuilding it. This faster but more expensive alternative would cost at least €400 million. The feasibility of both options has been questioned, as the area is former marshland, which makes underground construction difficult. Completion of the construction work is now scheduled for 2032.
