Transport Project No. 8“ with more than 20 members in the Bundestag. The parliamentarians wanted to work for an accelerated completion of the line. From the summer of 2007, a series of road overbridges were under construction between Erfurt and Buttstädt. In September 2007, the site equipment began to be installed for the west portal of the Finne Tunnel. On 30. April 2008, construction started on the Finne Tunnel, the longest tunnel on the route. Between September 2008 and 2010, archaeological excavations along the future route found evidence of more than 7500 years of human history. More than 100,000 finds were found in an area of more than 100 hectares. A total of 150 staff were employed in eight excavation team. It was one of the largest archaeological excavations in Germany. About €11 million was spent on the work. The Finne Tunnel was structurally complete in the spring of 2012. The earthworks of the long section in the Thuringian basin was completed in June 2012. The construction site was connected via a construction track to the Erfurt node, so that the installation of the slab track, the catenary, the electrical engineering and the train control and protection systems could be started in this section. The Saale-Elster Viaduct and Osterberg Tunnel were completed by 2012. The completion of earthworks between Erfurt and Gröbers was celebrated in early December 2012. In this section 5.5 million cubic metres of earth and building materials were moved and 35 bridges were built. After just over a year of construction in November 2013, the rails were largely in place and 3000 catenary masts had been installed. The new railway power line could be put into operation. Subsequently, the catenary system was installed and became live on 25 August 2014. The development of control and safety technology with electronic interlocking technology and the installation of radio equipment proceeded in parallel. The major project was originally controlled by the Planungsgesellschaft Bahnbau Deutsche Einheit ("Planning Corporation for German Unity Rail Construction"). From 2000, DB Projekt Verkehrsbau was entrusted with this task and since 2003m its successor, DB ProjektBau, has been responsible. Commissioning Gröbers–Leipzig-Mockau section The section between Leipzig/Halle Airport station and Leipzig-Mockau was provisionally put into operation at the timetable change on 15 December 2002. The Leipzig/Halle Airport station was only partly finished. The trains ran hourly with class 642 diesel railcars. Previously, the main tracks in Leipzig Messe