The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, in charge of infrastructure, dwelled on the program of the Attica project. George Karagiannisspeaking at Olympia Forum III, as well as giving a timeline of the most important interventions being developed in the country.

Mr. Karagiannis reported that “at the beginning of November, the competition for Suburb of Western Attica. We are talking about the expansion to Elefsina, Aspropyrgos, Megara and the surrounding areas with 7 new stations and a budget of 130 million euros.” He recalled that “tenders for the Suburban expansion in Rafina and Lavrio are already underway and we expect them to have a temporary contractor in the first quarter of 2023.”

West of Athens will be the next project Underground which will be announced, since, according to the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, “before the end of the year, a tender will begin to extend the 2nd line to Ilion.”

At the same time, as mentioned by Mr. Karagiannis, “construction sites for the 4th metro line have been created and are working, while we are studying the continuation of Mesos west to Menidi and south to Glyfada and Stavros. Cultural Center of Niarchos.

Road works of Attica

After that, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure reviewed the planning of the road projects planned in Attica, noting that “since the Olympic Games, nothing has been done regarding the major road projects that the pool needs.”

Mr. Karagiannis said that “a contract for the expansion of Kymi Avenue will be signed in the near future and construction sites will be created.” At the same time, “the expansion of the Attic road, the western periphery of Imitto, which will connect it with Vouliagmeni, and the transformation of Vouliagmeni street into a free flow, as well as an extension to Rafina and Lavrio, is planned.” as mentioned by Mr. Karagiannis.

“The basin needs all these projects and they are being implemented. If all these projects are not completed by 2030, then you can be sure that this traffic situation that all of us who are moving to Attica are facing will become much worse,” he stressed.

Until the beginning of 2023, the construction sites of the Thessaloniki flyover

The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure highlighted the projects of Thessaloniki, “which the city needs so much and are now being implemented”, as he commented.

“In the near future, before the beginning of 2023, a landmark project will start – the Thessaloniki flyover, the first road PPP in the country, which will significantly improve traffic conditions in the city, as it will double the number of cars that will be able to travel along the Eastern Ring” write down.

Regarding the metro, Mr. Karagiannis assured that “now we have a clear horizon, at the end of 2023 Metro Thessaloniki“.

The plan is complemented by a road link to the port, which is already under construction, and a rail link, for which a tender is also being developed, as well as a temporary contractor near the Western Thessaloniki suburb in the first quarter of 2023. .

Major highways in Greece.

Regarding the projects that have been under consideration for many years to complete the highway network in the country, Mr. Karagiannis emphasized that “everything is very clear”.

“Patra Pyrgos has returned to concession after the monumental actions that took place under the previous government and now, at the end of 2024, the Kato Achaia Pyrgos section will be handed over to the traffic, and the Patra Kato Achaia section will be handed over in six months, as well as the entire highway,” he said.

According to the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, “work is also” going on “on the E65, since we have started the northern section, we have put into operation the Hyuniada-Trikala section and in the first quarter of 2023 we will also hand over the section up to the bypass of Kalambaki on the northern section, and 14 kilometers have already been commissioned on the southern section, and we hope that it will be completed by the end of 2023.”

Regarding BOAC, Mr. Karagiannis recalled that “construction work in the eastern part will already start in the next period, and for the PPP part we have a temporary contractor, and for the large Chania-Heraklion concession project in November we will move on to the second stage of the competition” .

Integrated approach to all railway projects

The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure continued to praise the role of the railway in both freight and passenger traffic, noting that “unfortunately, we have been left behind for too many reasons. Now we have taken a comprehensive approach, and a project program worth 4.5 billion euros is being developed in our country.”

As he said, all railway projects that change the traffic map in the country, such as Thessaloniki-Toxotes and Alexandroupoli-Ormenio, will receive contractors early next year.

In addition, Mr. Karagiannis mentioned about 700 million euros worth of road safety projects starting all over the country. “Our speeches across the country are important because they close issues that should have been resolved 10 years ago,” said the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure.

In conclusion, Mr. Karagiannis said that “large infrastructure projects are important not only today, but also tomorrow. They concern not one government, but the continuity of the Greek state. That is why we need to speak seriously, responsibly and consistently in large infrastructure projects.”