Meetings to decide how to prevent metro flooding

PALMA
THE Balearic government is holding meetings with the technicians and builders of the Palma metro, after the entire system had to be closed down on August 21 because of flooding. The last station to remain closed, Son Fuster Vell, was reopened to the public yesterday.

The talks, which will continue today and tomorrow, are to define the work to be carried out over the next few weeks, once the task of cleaning, inspecting and repairing flood damage to the tracks and stations is completed.

Jaume Jaume, the manager of the Majorcan Railway Service (SFM) told the media yesterday that talks are being held with the technicians, and tomorrow he is due to meet the builders prior to work to prevent similar flooding being started.

Jaume said that the type of work which needs to be done to prevent rainwater flooding down ventilation shafts and stairwells, as it did on August 21 during a storm, has to be determined. The regulation on architectural barriers and current legislation will be taken into account when reaching a decision.

Jaume pointed out that the rainwater which accumulated in the streets on the 21st found its way into the metro stations and a solution will be “complicated,” involving work on the accesses.

On the day in question, he explained, there were pumps which did not work because they were not connected, others which failed and the remainder did not come into operation for reasons which the technicians are still trying to specify.

He explained that passengers had been unable to enter the station at Son Sardina, while in Son Castello, a “significant amount” of water entered via the stairwell. In Son Fuster, the pumps did not work, and the water rose to the level of the machine rooms, nearly two metres, and later entered the tunnel linking the two platforms.

He added that the stations of Son Sardina and Son Castelló were operating correctly the next day, once cleaning and repairs were completed, but Son Fuster was closed for a week.

It was reopened yesterday, although there are still restrictions for people with reduced mobility.
The metro links Palma's Plaza España with the University.

INCA TRAIN
Commenting on plans for the Inca railway, Jaume said that the tracks will be doubled so that the frequency of trains which leave from Manacor and Sa Pobla can be increased.

However, it will not be known until next week if it will be possible to put the tracks which run through Inca underground, as Mayor Pere Rotger had requested.

This operation, he said, could affect the motorway, and had not been taken into consideration at the last revision of the railway project by the previous government.

He pointed out that the access roads and motorway all had bridges to clear the railway lines.
Priority will be given to other train projects which are currently being studied, he said.