By Ashley Karen
A consortium consisting AVAX, Ghella and Alstom, declares the prompt and successful completion of the 7.6 kilometers extension of the Athens Metro Line 3 to Piraeus.
The three new stations i.e., “Maniatika”, “Piraeus” and “Dimotiko Theatro” on the extension of the blue Metro Line 3, are anticipated not only to cut the traffic congestion in Greece’s largest port, but also to link Athens International Airport with Piraeus in less than an hour.
The three mentioned stations are anticipated to reduce the passenger traffic by 132,000 on a daily basis, while decreasing the number of cars on the road by 23,000 and lowering carbon emissions by 120 tones.
At the opening of the three new metro stations earlier yesterday, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek Prime Minister, congratulated all parties involved on the prompt delivery of the extension and underlined that Greece, in building the projects such as the metro, has made a “school” in how such difficult infrastructures can be constructed while also highlighting cultural heritage.
In addition, both the Minister and the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure & Transport, Mr. Kostas Karamanlis and Mr. George Karagiannis, respectively mentioned that this last section had essential technical challenges from the beginning, especially regarding the construction of the Piraeus station that was constructed below the sea level and that the staff of the consortium worked excessively so that it could be delivered today.
The Managing Director of AVAX Group, Mr. Konstantinos Mitzalis that leads the consortium pointed: “This is undoubtedly a landmark both for us as a consortium and the city of Piraeus. Despite the challenging ground conditions, the restrictions of the pandemic, the delayed delivery and increased cost of materials and lately the invasion at Ukraine, we were determined enough to deliver the three new stations on time, as promised back in 2020, when we delivered the first three stations of the Athens Metro Line 3 extension to Piraeus. But, as I said, it is a landmark for Piraeus too as the commuters to and from the capital’s port of Piraeus will be able to enjoy a unique transport hub at Piraeus station that will connect Metro Line 1 and Metro Line 3, the port, the Suburban Railway and the tram network.”
It is worth mentioning that the AVAX – Ghella – Alstom consortium has been awarded the brand-new Athens Metro Line 4, between Alsos Veikou and Goudi as well.
