Dep. Infrastructure Min. – “In 2022 Greece will become a vast construction site”

The assurance that Greece in 2022 will become a vast construction site, was given by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, in charge of Infrastructure, Mr. Giorgos Karagiannis, speaking to the newspaper RealNews.

According to Mr. Karagiannis, from the project plan that has been launched, amounting to 13 billion euros, about 200,000 new jobs will be created, directly and indirectly, while the benefits will be tangible economic, social and environmental.

“We fought a battle with time to overcome chronic pathogens and in 2021 many projects started that were stuck either in tender procedures, or remained for years in drawers with the typical example of the Patras-Pyrgos highway in the Peloponnese and the Northern Road Axis of Crete,” Mr. Karagiannis said.

Which projects will be auctioned immediately

Mr. Karagiannis also referred to the projects that will be auctioned immediately and concern, the Bypass of Chalkida and Psachna, the connection of Kymi Avenue with the Attica peripheral highway, Bralos – Amfissa and Neapoli – Ag. Nikolaos of the Northern Road Axis of Crete, with a total budget of 1 billion euros.

He noted that, by the end of the year, binding bids will be submitted for three large PPP projects amounting to 1 billion euros. These are the projects Hersonissos – Neapoli of the Northern Crete Highway, the Flyover in Thessaloniki and Kalamata – Rizomylos – Pylos – Methoni highway.

“We are talking about concrete results of a policy that has been implemented under the responsibility of Minister Costas Karamanlis for 2.5 years,” he added.

Major Infrastructure Projects are changing the image of Attica

Especially for Attica, where half of the country’s population is concentrated, Mr. Karagiannis stressed that “it is time for new projects”, noting that “the last major transport project that was implemented was the Attiki Odos about 20 years ago”.

According to the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, the extensions of Attiki Odos are specific projects that have been working methodically for quite some time. In the following days, the connection of Kymi Avenue with PATHE, a project of 350 million euros, is already being auctioned.

“We continue the next period with the extensions to Lavrio, Rafina and of course the big project of the Ymittos Regional, with the big tunnel in Ilioupoli that will end in Vouliagmeni Avenue” he underlined.

He made special reference to the new Metro Line 4 with 15 new stations that was contracted and has already started with construction sites being set up in several stations.

Important for the Basin will be the railway projects that have recently started and concern the railway connections of the ports of Lavrio and Rafina that are contained in the large program of new projects of ERGOSE, amounting to 4 billion euros.

“With the major infrastructure projects that we design and implement, Attica will change its image in the coming years,” assured Mr. Karagiannis.

Western Attica is being upgraded

He then focused on the projects related to West Attica, emphasizing that: “At the beginning of next year, the Suburb of West Attica will be auctioned with a budget of 100 million euros and funding from the Recovery Fund, a very important project, as it will ensure the railway connection with Athens, the airport El. Venizelos, Piraeus and the rest of the network for the areas of Ano Liossia, Megara, Aspropyrgos, Elefsina and many smaller ones that it penetrates.”

Also, within 2022, the studies for the extension of Line 2 to Ilion with three new stations will be completed. He also spoke about the Connection of the Western Peripheral Avenue of Egaleo with the National Highway and the completion of the Skaramagas Junction, a project that will improve the traffic on the National Road and will provide solutions to the traffic problem.

Piraeus – Metro and Tram transport hub

According to the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure: “Piraeus had lagged behind for decades in terms of infrastructure, with the result that we have reached 2021 and the largest port in the country is not connected to the metro. In the summer of 2022, this changes and with the delivery of the stations in Maniatika, Piraeus and the Municipal Theater, 132,000 passengers will be served daily and the number of cars on the roads will be reduced by 23,000 “.

On the other hand, the Tram that has already arrived in Piraeus will mainly facilitate the citizens coming from Neo Faliro, Moschato, Kallithea and the rest of the Southern suburbs.

“With the Tram and the Metro, Piraeus will be transformed into an important transport hub,” he noted.

Besides, the Salamina – Perama submarine link is progressing, for which the approval of the environmental conditions is expected.

“We have a comprehensive plan for the implementation of projects that will upgrade the quality of life of citizens. It will change the image of the whole basin,” concluded Mr. Karagiannis.