A section of Pancho Vladigerov Boulevard in Sofia, between Obelsko Shose Street and 25th Street, connecting the Lyulin and Obelya districts, has been closed following a roadside collapse, Vrabnitsa District Mayor Rumen Kostadinov reported on Facebook. The collapse occurred near the construction site of the new Pancho Vladigerov metro station. Emergency teams from the Directorate for Emergency Assistance and Prevention have been deployed, and the site has been secured. Specialists from Metropolitan and Sofiyska Voda will conduct inspections to establish the causes of the incident.

Traffic in the affected area has been partially redirected, with one lane closed while the other operates bidirectionally. Public transport has also been adjusted: buses on lines 31 and 81 are detoured via Obelsko Shose, Efrem Chuchkov Street, 23rd and 25th streets, Chuchuliga Street, and back to Pancho Vladigerov Boulevard.

Sofia has faced several similar incidents in recent years. In April, a large hole appeared on Tsarigradsko Shose Boulevard due to weak soils and reduced pressure from a tunnel boring machine. Vladimir Vazov Boulevard experienced a partial collapse in August 2023 amid construction of the third metro line, and a major hole opened on Cherni Vrah Boulevard in August 2010 during the second metro line project.

The Pancho Vladigerov metro station, scheduled for completion in November 2026, will serve over 12,000 residents of Obelya and Modern Suburb. It is planned as Sofia’s fourth intermodal station, connecting metro, regional rail from Dragoman, Kyustendil, and Bozhurishte, as well as bus lines. The station is expected to reduce car traffic in the capital by roughly 5,600 vehicles per day and cut annual harmful emissions by nearly 1,500 tons. The total project cost is 23.2 million euros, and metro traffic between Slivnitsa and Obelya stations has been suspended since July to accommodate ongoing construction and installation work.