Metro to be repaired “as soon as possible”

PALMA
THE 20 companies involved in the construction of Palma's metro have promised the Balearic Government that they will repair all the deficiencies detected by the technical audit and carry out the work as quickly as possible.

This was announced after a meeting, presided over by the director general of the Transport department, Antoni Verger, to make the builders aware of the situation and to get them to accept the decision of the Works department that they will carry out the work supplying all the materials, labour and machinery necessary.

The Works department will oversee all the works, some of which will be more drastic than others.
The leaks in the transport hub, caused by insufficient waterproofing, could be done at the last minute if it is decided to dig up the Parc de Ses Estacions. “The leaks are very serious and could result in structural problems throughout the hub. Drillings will be made on the surface to see what state things are in. At the same time there will be other technical activities to determine what the solution is, because we don't want to lift up all of the park, but if the damage found means that we have to do it, then we have no choice”, said the director general of Transport.

The companies Azvi and Acciona have given their full support because all parties are aware that there is to be “no patching up, but definitive solutions”.

This is one of the few works on the metro not accepted by the Balearic Government, as the rest of the work, the major part of it, was accepted during the period when Jaume Matas, ex leader of the Balearic Government, was in power.

The current Balearic Government wants to adopt a global solution which will put the metro back in operation in the shortest time possible. “There is no deadline, but the reopening of the metro will be delayed longer than was anticipated because a global solution must be adopted for the whole of the metro network”, explained the director general of the Transport department. With regard to the Jacint Verdaguer station, the FCC construction company will decide, with the Works department, on the solution to be taken for the damaged ironwork so that mainline trains are not affected. “The willingness shown by the construction companies has been very positive because there is a clear objective, to repair the metro and get it back into service as soon as possible”.

Verger added that the meeting only discussed the technical audit, the commitment to repair the deficiencies and the builders' acceptance of the requirements of the Works department. “We did not discuss questions of finance, as this will be determined by the courts” he said.

Another important activity, which will start next week, is in the station of Son Sardina, where they will lift a few centimetres of the station entrance and the rain drain. “These will be complex activities, which will take time and which will, of course, affect the time to carry out the works, as the deficiencies are serious”, he said.