The Chairman of ATTIKO METRO S.A. Mr. Nikos Tachiaos assured that the progress of Thessaloniki Metro is in line with the time schedule and that the project will be delivered in April 2023; this assurance was given during the visit by the Mayor of Thessaloniki Mr. Konstantinos Zervas to the stations of Thessaloniki Metro Base Line currently under construction.
“It is time we delivered this project to the city. We will make all possible efforts to have this project finished on time, that is, may I repeat, in April 2023. There are many people wondering whether we will be able to achieve our goal. The answer yes we will” said Mr. Tachiaos.
The Mayor of Thessaloniki was given a guided tour to the Depot as well as to AGHIA SOPHIA and VENIZELOU Stations by the Chairman of ATTIKO METRO S.A. Mr. Nikos Tachiaos and the CEO Mr. Nikos Kouretas during which he was informed about the works completed so far, as well as about the next stages of the project until its completion.
“I strongly believe that the project is in good hands that that all people involved will have the project ready within the aforementioned time frame, i.e. in 2023”, stated the Mayor of Thessaloniki during his visit to VENIZELOU Station, stressing at the same time that the Municipality of Thessaloniki will be there to check the progress and support the project.
Mr. Tachiaos stressed the “critical importance” of the unanimity among all city bodies, as well as of their constant interest and concern abount the project, while he extended an open invitation to all elected members of municipal bodies to visit the Metro worksites “so that we can demonstrate to them that efforts are being made and have been made, which are not credited only to the current Management of the Company and the current Government but also to other numerous agents”.
With regard to VENIZELOU Station, Mr. Kouretas advised the Mayor of Thessaloniki that by the beginning of next month the works for the removal of the earth covering the antiquities will have been completed and that by the end of summer the Detailed Final Design DFD2 for the construction of the station will have been completed.
On his part, the Chairman of ATTIKO METRO S.A. pointed out that all works will be carried out in cooperation with the Archaeological Department and that decisions by the Central Archaeological Council shall be issued on an “as needed” basis. He also underlined that the selected solution involving the detachment and subsequent placing back of the antiquities within the station was the most realistic and cost-efficient one.
“I believe that we should all share this common goal; to have a Metro in the city in 2023” said the Mayor of Thessaloniki, stating also that the completion of the project will change quality of life in the city.
“I am well aware of the difficulties that the Metro was faced with throughout all these years. Most people probably don’t know how hard the execution of this project has been from the preparation stage, the construction stage to its commissioning stage. We should not dwell on the difficulties and the hard periods of the project. We cannot deny them, but what matters the most right now is to look ahead and to see how we can complete this project” were the words of Mr. Zervas.
The guided tour was also attended by the Deputy Mayors of Thessaloniki Messrs. Efrem Kyrizidis and Sokratis Dimitriadis, the Chairman of the Municipal Board Mr. Drosos Tsavlis, as well as by executives from the Contractor.
