The issue was raised through a topical question regarding the "safety concerns in the construction of the tunnel for Metro Line 4" by Christos Katsotis, a Member of Parliament from the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). He called on the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Nikos Tachiaos, to provide answers.
According to Mr. Katsotis, "For more than six months, and with the knowledge of 'Hellenic Metro S.A.,' the consortium of ABAX-GHELO-ALSTOM proceeded with the excavation of 160 meters in violation of the approved design. During this time, two shifts of workers have been entering the tunnel daily, and the excavation zone affects vital infrastructure, including road arteries, hospitals, and state facilities."
In response, Deputy Minister Nikos Tachiaos stated that as soon as the issue was identified, an order was issued for the construction to be restored according to the original design. He assured that the companies are closely monitoring the situation to prevent any further issues, stressing that safety remains a top priority.
"The consortium has already resumed work in the proper manner and has submitted a study outlining how it will rectify the situation over the 160-meter stretch. The service, of course, does not accept any justifications from the consortium. We regard this as an error in the implementation of a design that the company itself had submitted. It was detected by Hellenic Metro. I have requested an investigation to determine why this delay occurred. Clearly, this is not a failure on the part of the administration. Once the issue came to the administration's attention, the company was instructed to return to the design and restore the construction as it should have been done from the start," stated Mr. Tachiaos.
"Indeed, there are consultants overseeing the project, and they assist with its supervision. However, it is public employees who sign off on the documents. This is the current procedure," added the Deputy Minister, reaffirming that "safety concerns are of the highest priority.
