By rosebell
As part of the renovation of Italy’s railway system, for construction of the Santomarco Tunnel a tender worth more than €1.6bn has been launched by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (FS Group).
The aim of this project is to boosting connections between Salerno and Reggio Calabria.
Delivering a 22km double-track line between Paola and Cosenza, including 17km of underground route through the Santomarco Tunnel, will be the responsibility of a winning bidder, whereas the remaining 5km is due to be above ground, providing flexibility and diverse infrastructure.
Additionally, building a new railway station in Cosenza as wll as essential infrastructure to support modern and safe railway operations are the contents of this tender.
In order to simplifying construction, the Salerno–Reggio Calabria route is divided into several phases and the works on Lot 1a (Battipaglia-Romagnano) and Lot 1b/1c (Romagnano-Praia) are in progress.
Also, in accordance with the planned schedule, the construction on Lot 2 (Praia-Paola) is underway.
Enhancing the line capacity for passenger and freight transportation,this tunnel construction project improves regional infrastructure, promotes economic growth and development, and represents a critical component of Italy’s modern railway system.
While the construction includes modern technologies, high-quality materials, and traffic management systems to improve durability, reliability, safety, and operations, it intends to align Italian transportation systems with broader European networks.
Following completion, the tunnel construction is expected to speed up the routes for freight and passengers and change the region’s appeal as a logistics hub and a travel destination.
