The beginning of actions aimed at finding a final solution to the issue of its passage. railway networkthrough the urban fabric of Larissa, the mayor of Larissa, Apostolos Kalogiannis, asks in his letter to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

In his letter, after mentioning that Larisa remains silent and mourns the losses in the Tempe tragedy, Mr. Kalogiannis adds that “for many years the city has paid a large blood tax for the railway lines”, and emphasizes that “the constant request of all municipal authorities (…), unfortunately, did not find listeners either among random administrations of the OGE, or, unfortunately, among the current ministers of transport.

He highlights that in March 2019, the then Secretary General of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport announced, among other things, the immediate preparation of a special feasibility study to explore alternative scenarios in order to better serve Larissa, and in 2021 the technical levels of OSE and the municipality of Larissa, in the presence of the political staff of the two bodies, where a decision was made to jointly fund a feasibility study – the sustainability of the required alternative solutions, but nothing has been done so far.

The Mayor of Larisa calls on the Prime Minister, within the framework of the measures and activities that will be initiated to ensure the safety of railway transport in the country, to personally take on the task of finding a solution to the issue of crossing the railway tracks.

Finally, Mr. Kalogiannis describes the next steps for the municipal authorities, which include an open consultation process with citizens and representatives of city institutions next Wednesday (via the Internet), and then discussion in the municipal council.

In his letter, the mayor of Larisa states the following in detail:

“Dear Prime Minister,

Larisa stands mute and mourns, as the whole of Greece mourns after the tragic train crash on February 28th. However, Mr. Prime Minister, in the past our city has lamented such problems many times, albeit on a smaller scale, since it is a city of two hundred thousand inhabitants, through which the main railway line of Athens-Thessaloniki passes, cutting it literally “in half” .

The passage of railroad tracks through the urban fabric of the city has become in the recent past an occasion for our fellows to die, both at unguarded and poorly guarded railway crossings, as well as at other points on the lines. The logic of the development of the 60s, which “wanted” railway tracks in the center of cities, has now become a real scourge, forcing Larisa to pay a heavy bloody tax.

Over the years, the constant request of all municipal authorities, as well as the intensity with which our own municipal authority raised it, unfortunately, did not find heed either among the OSE administrations from time to time, nor, unfortunately, among the employees of the Ministers of Transport. I would like to emphasize to you, Mr. Prime Minister, that in March 2019 and after contacts and discussions that lasted two years, the then Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport announced a roadmap for specific actions towards finding solutions for connecting Larisa with the railway, and the first and foremost the issue is the preparation of a feasibility study – the validity of the required alternative solutions (underground works, open trenches, bypassing the city, underpasses, etc.).

After the change of leadership in the country, nothing has moved forward. However, on our part, the work continued with the aim of implementing the planned developments.

A year ago, at a meeting of the technical levels of the OSE and the municipality of Larissa, in the presence of the political staff of the two bodies, a decision was made to jointly fund a study on the feasibility and viability of the required alternative solutions. on the basis of mutual benefit to solve the serious problem of the city. So far, nothing has happened! Instead, we faced systematic neglect and disrespect. Larisa’s widespread request for solutions that would ensure the smooth operation of the city, as well as the safety of the citizens, was systematically and defiantly ignored for a long time!

Mr Prime Minister

In these difficult hours of pain and mourning, we appeal to you to take the necessary initiatives so that Larisa stops paying this kind of blood tax. We invite you, within the framework of the initiatives to ensure the safety of railway transport in the country, as they were formulated at the recent Council of Ministers, to personally take on the task of finding a solution to the issue of passing the railway lines through the urban fabric of Larissa and the risks that something like this entails for our citizens.

We don’t want to mourn the victims anymore.

We know that times are difficult. We also know that in these difficult times, the only reliable option is to do everything possible to avoid similar situations in the future.

For its part, the municipality of Larissa will organize an open consultation process next Wednesday, March 15, with citizens and representatives of city institutions, so that the local community can oppose this issue and present it to our municipal council. At the same time, we are waiting for your actions.

“Never again, Mr. Prime Minister, passes through Larissa.”