According to the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, the alternative locations that had been proposed, such as Tositsa, are smaller compared to Exarcheion Square
A clear message that “the Metro it will take place in Exarcheion square and the people and the residents of the area will enjoy it” sent the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, responsible for infrastructure, Giorgos Karagiannis, speaking in the context of parliamentary control, stressing that “it is the only solution for the area”.
In fact, he noted that “it gives an alarming impression that the metroas a decent and cheap means of transportan eminently philanthropic social good, disturbs”.
He accused a section of the opposition of a “peculiar ownership perception of the area” where, as he added, “aspires to impose its own aesthetic, economic and development approach”.
In relation to the location of the station, Mr. Karagiannis initially referred “to SYRIZA which licensed and tendered the project with the station in Exarcheion Square”.
He stated that “the proposal to transfer the Exarchion Station from the square, to Tositsa Street, which was first put forward in 2016, was considered by the previous government and was rejected both for substantive (communication and construction) and procedural reasons”.
As the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure explained, “the alternative locations that had been proposed, such as the one at the junction of Tositsa and Bouboulina streets, are significantly smaller in size than Exarcheion Square” and that “it would be necessary to change the layout of the project in the section from the “COURTS” Station ” up to “AKADEMIA” Station and the rezoning and re-design of “ALEXANDRAS” Station as well, as this station must be moved approximately 300 meters further south, at the border of the Areos Field with the risk of cutting down many more trees for its construction ».
Mr. Karagiannis noted that “at the Exarchia station, the area of ​​the Metro facilities will be less than 10% of the square”.
“The issues related to Exarcheion Square were raised by collectives of the area to ATTIKO METRO SA, where appropriate explanations and answers were given to the concerns of the interested parties during the years 2016-2018. During the period of the public consultation, no objection was submitted to the construction of the station in Exarcheion Square” as announced by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure.
“As many trees as were there before will be planted in an organized manner”
Then the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure analyzed the advantages of Line 4 of the Metro, stressing that “Exarchion Square will not be destroyed, nor will the greenery disappear from it. According to the approved environmental study of 2018 and the contract documents, they will plant in an organized manner as many trees as were there before.”
He also reiterated the additional commitment that exists for the planting of 2,000 more trees within the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the ministry and ATTIKO METRO with the Municipality of Athens and the company ANAPLASI ATHINAS SA.
“But let’s talk with numbers” continued the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, pointing out that with the completion of Line 4:
- 340,000 passengers will be served daily.
- 53,000 fewer cars per day will be on the road.
- 318 less tons of carbon dioxide per day will be released into the atmosphere.
- 1,216 MWh of energy will be saved daily.
“I think the numbers speak for themselves,” commented the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure.
He added that “Exarchia will be “transformed” into a square with more greenery, organized and with a metro station, modern and environmentally friendly. Residents will be at the University in 6.5 minutes or in “Alsos Veikou” in 7.5 minutes.
He also cited an important element for comparing the Metro network with what is happening in other capitals.
“In Paris, there are approximately 308 Metro stations, with an average density of about 4 stations per square km of urban space, while in many areas there are stations less than 200 or 300 m apart. Athens, after the completion of Line 4, will have 1 station per square km. While in the same period, only the “under construction” Grand Paris project will add 200 km of metro with 68 new stations in the city” noted Mr. Karagiannis .
“We are not going to back down”
“The Metro means light, it means transparency. Organized minorities will not convert a ghetto area. We will not allow darkness and darkness. If some others want to serve it, let them do so. All areas should be developed. We want to highlight the different ideas but under a transparent regime. Besides, I don’t understand why the Metro station in Exarchia opposes the freedom of ideas. We are not going to back down, we are not going to serve petty political interests and small property perceptions in this region” Mr. Karagiannis said in closing.
Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.
I have worked as a journalist for over 10 years, and my work has been featured on many different news websites. I am also an author, and my work has been published in several books. I specialize in opinion writing, and I often write about current events and controversial topics. I am a very well-rounded writer, and I have a lot of experience in different areas of journalism. I am a very hard worker, and I am always willing to put in the extra effort to get the job done.
