Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro admitted this Friday that the construction of the purple line of the Lisbon metro has been delayed, hoping to launch a tender for the contracting of works and rolling stock in the first half.
Despite acknowledging a delay of about a semester in this project, the official recalled that the environmental impact statement was submitted at the end of August and the public consultation lasted until mid-February.
The minister also acknowledged that the cost of the project had increased by €140 million, as the initial budget was around €250 million, which was later revised to €390 million due to increased material prices. There was another change, as the original project envisaged the metro to run only on the surface, and now underground stations are also being considered.
Regarding financing, Duarte Cordeiro pointed to several options, such as using resources from the state budget, loans from the PRR or lines from the European Investment Bank.
The Presidency, Economy and Environment ministers held a joint press conference this Friday to respond to the CNA – PRR report. In total, the CNA identified 15 investments in a worrying or critical state due to factors such as candidacy delays or overambitious targets.
The violet line, connecting Loures to Odivelas, was one of the investments classified as critical by the National Commission for Monitoring the Recovery and Resilience Plan (CNA-PRR). “We believe that if the Environmental Impact Assessment is approved, we can launch the procurement of the contract and rolling stock in the first half and complete it in the second half”said Duarte Cordeiro, speaking to journalists in Lisbon.
When asked if the government has a ‘plan B’ in case the assessment is negative, Duarte reminds Cordeiro that this is a normal process and that a new alternative is therefore not up for discussion. “Environmental impact assessments are normal. If we don’t have approval, something has to change. There is nothing to make us think this (negative assessment) could happen”he said.
The total amount of the PRR (€16,644 million), managed by the structure of the mission to recover Portugal, is divided into three structuring dimensions: resilience (€11,125 million), climate transition (€3,059 million) and digital transition (€2,460 million). euros). million euros). The three dimensions of the plan show a 100% hiring rate. Of the total allocation, approximately EUR 13,900 million corresponds to grants and EUR 2,700 million to loans.
This plan, which runs until 2026, aims to implement a series of reforms and investments to restore economic growth. This plan not only aims to repair the damage caused by covid-19, but also aims to support investment and create jobs.
Source: DN
