Guarda, Portugal, Dec. 3, 2024 (Lusa) - Portugal's minister for infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, said in Guarda on Tuesday that the Beira Alta line will open in its entirety in the first quarter of 2025.
"We have the commitment, given by me, by the prime minister, by the government and by IP [Infraestruturas de Portugal], that in the first quarter of next year, we will have the work completed on the remaining sections," said the minister at the end of a journey in a train that has been running between Celorico da Beira and Vilar Formoso since 25 November.
Miguel Pinto Luz stressed that the "word is really to be kept." He got off at Guarda railway station, accompanied by a large entourage made up of mayors, technicians, and IP and CP officials, where he was welcomed by Sérgio Costa, mayor of Guarda.
Speaking to journalists, the minister said that, "as a state, we have to take on board what was said to the people, that this line would only be closed for nine months, but it has been closed for more than two years and, therefore, we have to improve this forecast of deadlines".
"Our commitment is to complete the work in the first quarter of next year. In four or three months, we'll be here again to investigate and carry out this healthy scrutiny in a democracy," he said.
At the end of a short journey between Celorico da Beira and Guarda, the minister praised the "smoothness of the journey", which he attributed to "the work of the contractors and IP in designing the line's new superstructure and the carriages refurbished by CP, whose workers sometimes work magic".
He stressed that "there is a clear commitment to the railway, to modal shift. The green rail pass is a success. Close to 45,000 passes have been sold, and this means that people want to get back on the train, but for that, they need services and lines, and that's what the government is doing."
The complete renovation of the Beira Alta Line (193 kilometres between Pampilhosa and Vilar Formoso) is considered one of the fundamental works of the Northern International Corridor. It is intended to provide a safer and faster rail link for passengers and goods between the country's centre and north and the border with Spain.
The investment planned for modernising this rail link is €600 million.
The line closed on 19 April 2022 for an announced period of nine months and was due to reopen in January 2023. Infraestruturas de Portugal then announced a probable date of November 2023, a deadline changed again to June 2024, which also failed to materialise.
LYM/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
