A 160-meter tunnel has been mistakenly excavated during the ongoing construction of Athens Metro Line 4, sparking a fiasco. The error has drawn intense criticism from the opposition, which has raised safety concerns and demanded immediate corrective action.
The error was disclosed by Greek Communist Party (KKE) MP Christos Katsotis who tabled a relevant question to Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Nikos Tachiaos.
The tunnel was dug under Katehaki Avenue, a main road artery surrounded by hospitals and public buildings, raising concerns about potential safety risks for both workers and the public, the MP told Parliament and the minister.
Katsotis wondered how it was possible for the consortium building Line 4 to excavate 160 meters in the wrong direction without Elliniko Metro – the public company formerly known as Attiko Metro and responsible for the Greek capital’s subway system – or the Transport Ministry noticing it.
“How did Elliniko Metro SA, which has assured us that it is supervising the works on a 24-hour, seven-day basis, not realize that the tunnel had been opened for 160 meters, over 6 months?”
“The AVAX-Ghello-Alstom consortium continued excavation despite being aware of the deviation,” he added.
Tachiaos acknowledged the error but downplayed the safety concerns, saying that while “minor subsidence” on Katehaki Avenue was possible, there was no immediate danger, and confirmed that the consortium had been ordered to revert to the original plans.
The issue stemmed from a procedural misstep rather than a structural flaw, he claimed, adding that the mistake was not expected to cause major structural problems.
Line 4 of the Athens Metro
Line 4 of the Athens Metro is a future line that will run from Alsos Veikou to Goudi. Construction of the line started in mid to late-2021 and is scheduled to be completed in 2029 but is more realistically estimated to have been built until at least 2030.
Line 4 had been under consideration for many years. Its exact route was changed multiple times. One of the most famous routes was the U-shaped line from Perissos to Katechaki (which are current stations of lines 1 and 3 respectively), including a branch to Vyronas.
However, the route from Alsos Veikou to Goudi was chosen, as it has the benefit of being the one passing from the densely populated areas of central Athens, such as Galatsi, Exarcheia, Kolonaki, Kaisariani and Zografou.
In the distant future, it will be extended further north to Lykovrysi and to other important suburbs of Athens, like Marousi.
Athens Metro ranked third best in Europe
The Athens Metro has recently been ranked third best in Europe behind Oslo and Sofia in rankings prepared by luggage storage company Bounce.
The metro of the Greek capital city provides a direct link to the airport, which allows travelers to access the city center with cheap, quick and regular public transport.
It also connects to the city’s busy Piraeus port area, which supports travel by ferry to many Greek island destinations.
The Athens Metro has 62 stations across 70km of track and sees more than a quarter of a million passengers every year, something that makes it an integral part of the city’s transport infrastructure.