The big projects and tenders planned to go ahead during 2021

The Ministry of Infrastructure has great expectations for 2021. The Minister, Costas Karamanlis emphasizes in all the interviews he has given lately that this year, the effort is at its peak. In general, in 2020 the ministry moved more at the level of “gathering” and targeting for the implementation of projects in the coming years.

This year, however, things will be different, as those who are well acquainted with what is happening in Papagou claim. As they note in ypodomes.com, in the immediate future the EIA will be submitted for two emblematic projects. The VOAK and the submarine of Salamis. In fact, they note that they found almost “blank” pages in the two competitions and that a road race was held so that they could mature.

The approval of the EIA in these projects, paves the way for the completion of the 2 tenders approaching 2 billion euros. We remind you that BOAK has “broken” in 2 parts: Chania-Hersonissos with concession and Hersonissos-Neapoli with PPP. Together they reach 1.5 billion euros while the cost of the submarine link of Salamina is estimated at over 400 million euros.

We are also close to the announcement of the PPP for the external water supply system of Athens, a project in which EYDAP will also participate. The project “Management – Operation and Maintenance of the External Water Supply System (EYS) of Athens” concerns in particular the management, operation and maintenance of the central water infrastructure (springs, reservoirs, aqueducts, etc.).

Spring signatures – summer competitions

During the Spring in Infrastructure, the ministry is expected to know the projects of the Recovery Fund. The northern part of E65 (Trikala-Egnatia), the part of VOAK Neapoli-Agios Nikolaos and extensions of Attiki Odos were proposed.

We are also expecting the signing of the preliminary works and the main project of the new line 4 of the Athens Metro, the largest public project for the country that initially promises to fill the city with construction sites, but with its operation to transform the way we move to it.

In the summer, as noted by the same sources, the 2nd phase of the important tender for the project-PPP Kalamata-Pylos-Methoni will start, while the tender, also PPP, will start for the 12 Court Houses.

At the same time, however, a large, long-awaited competition will begin. It concerns the first extension of the Attiki Odos to Kifisos at the height of Lykovrisi, through L. Kymi which will concern a new urban tunnel. This project is of great importance for Attiki Odos as it will relieve the congested section of Metamorfosi-Doukissis Plakentias and especially the current exit to Kifissos. It will be the first emblematic work to be auctioned on the ministry of Costas Karamanlis.

The 4 + 1 projects that will close the year

As noted by competent executives of the Ministry, in the second half of 2021 we will see the auction of four more emblematic works. The first will be the famous tender for the supply of 1,300 buses for Athens-Thessaloniki that will permanently change the image of road public transport.

The second will be towards the end of the year, the north-western extension of Line 2 of the Athens Metro from Anthoupolis to Agios Nikolaos in Ilion from the Attica Metro. The project has a cost approaching 400 million euros and has been pre-included in the OP. of the Environment of the new NSRF 2021-2027.

This expansion is very important because it will cover the densely populated areas of Ilion but also part of Kamatero, Agioi Anargyroi and Petroupoli.

Towards the end of 2021, the competition for the flyover in Thessaloniki aims to proceed with the submission of bids and the nomination of the contractor who will undertake the project.

Lust but not least we have the tenders for the railway. Just yesterday in an interview with a local media, Costas Karamanlis, announced the start of the tender by ERGOSE for the large railway project Rio-Patras. It will concern a new double electric line that will reconnect Patras with the national railway network and will include a tunelling of 5.1km.

A smaller but important project for the ministry is the start of the PPP tender for the new building of the General Secretariat of Infrastructure, on Piraeus Street.

Institutionally, we expect the Parliament to pass the major amendment of law 4412/20, the finalization of the inclusion of projects in the NSRF 2021-2027, which projects will go as phasing, but also the projects (mainly railway) that will be included in CEF II.