“There are no magic solutions, but significant measures are already underway,” Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Dimas told ERT News, referring to the traffic problems faced by residents in Attica.
The minister revealed that the contract for the Skaramanga triple interchange—a project with a budget of 70 million euros—will be signed in the coming weeks. At the same time, speaking about the railway, he stated that the Athens – Thessaloniki will be fully restored by summer, while he announced that the opening of the E65 highway has been postponed to July—for reasons related to safety concerns.
Speaking on the program “Weekend at 5,” Mr. Dimas discussed in detail the projects currently underway to address traffic congestion in Attica. As he explained, the completion of the Skaramanga triple interchange will connect the Egaleo Ring Road with Schisto Avenue and the Athens–Corinth National Highway.
At the same time, traffic lights in the area will be removed, and a major alternative route for heavy vehicles will be created. “This will take three years from the time the contract is signed. The cost is approximately 70 million euros, and it is a very important project,” he noted.
He also emphasized that the project at the Metamorfosis interchange will be completed by 2026. Explaining what will change, the minister stated: “Currently, vehicles coming from the airport are forced to yield to those traveling from Elefsina, creating the well-known ‘bottleneck effect.’ With the new configuration, vehicles will enter the National Highway from different lanes, significantly reducing traffic congestion.”
Tunnel boring machines are making progress on Line 4 – No tolls in Varibobi
Speaking about the progress of the Metro projects, Mr. Dimas noted that “two months ago, the first tunnel boring machine for Line 4 completed its route. The second one, the ‘Niki,’ has already passed through Kypseli, and the goal is for it to complete the tunnel excavation by the end of the year.” Regarding the replacement of the bus fleet, he emphasized that the complete renewal of public transportation in Athens and Thessaloniki is underway, with new, modern vehicles equipped with clean-emission technology that are fully accessible to everyone.
When asked if there were plans to install tolls at the Varibombi interchange, the minister replied in the negative: “We do not plan to install tolls,” he said, adding that “this is a decision the Greek government made many, many years ago, even though the concession agreement provided for tolls.”
Regarding the E65 highway and the reasons why it will not be delivered by June, as originally planned, he clarified: “The E65 is an extremely important highway connecting Central Greece with Thessaly, Western Macedonia, and Epirus. The opening, all things being equal, will take place in July. The slight delay in the schedule is due to the fact that we are examining specific geological phenomena and carrying out the necessary interventions to ensure it can be opened to traffic with absolute safety. The highway is essentially ready.”
The Athens–Thessaloniki railway line by summer
Regarding the long-troubled Athens–Thessaloniki railway line, the minister stated that work is progressing at an extremely satisfactory pace: “The railway connection will be restored by summer. The ministry is making full use of the resources from the Recovery and Resilience Fund. For the restoration projects related to Storm Daniel—which include the railway line—the amount of funding is approaching 600 million euros.”
Regarding the strategic development of the network, Mr. Dimas noted: “The further development of the railway is a strategic choice. The expansion of electrification beyond Kiato is moving forward, while initiatives are being planned to strengthen the country’s connectivity both domestically and with the Western Balkans. “We are discussing projects that will connect the ports of Thessaloniki, Kavala, and Alexandroupoli with the ports of Bulgaria and Romania via the railway network.”
Regarding air navigation systems and radar issues, the minister emphasized that over the past year, a comprehensive action plan comprising approximately 300 measures to upgrade these systems has been implemented in cooperation with the European Commission. “The contract for the new voice communication system between pilots and control towers has already been signed, and in early July we will sign the contract for the aircraft approach system, while negotiations are proceeding in parallel for the upgrade of the country’s central air navigation system,” he said.
Political Landscape: “A Majority Government Is an Achievable Goal”
When asked about the political landscape and New Democracy’s goal of winning a majority in the upcoming elections, Mr. Dimas stated that “a majority is an achievable goal, and that is the goal we have set for ourselves. We are committed to implementing our government program, and we will be judged by Greek citizens at the end of our term.”
Finally, responding to the possibility of an independent political move by Antonis Samaras, he commented: “My view is that it will not deprive New Democracy of a majority. Mr. Samaras belongs to—and should remain in—New Democracy. Beyond that, everyone makes their own decisions and is obviously judged by them.”
Source: ertnews.gr