City of Athens: a 250 mln euro infrastructure program is being rolled out to change the city’s image

With a large technical program of 250 million euros, the Municipality of Athens is making a great effort to reconstruct the image of the city. The bad image presented by the capital after a decade of crisis was reflected in almost every neighbourhood. The absence of systematic interventions during the previous decade degraded the city’s image and left it far behind compared to other European ones. At the same time, another 230 million euros are being invested for the regeneration of the Botanikos area and the construction of the new Panathinaikos stadium.

In the works of the Municipality, one encounters paradoxes from previous periods such as the absence of basic rainwater drainage infrastructure, absence of even standard sidewalks and anti-flood works in the most central part of the country.

“In the Municipality, a great effort has been made for three years through projects that improve everyday life and at the same time change the image of the city” the deputy mayor of Technical Works of the Municipality of Athens, Vassilis Axiotis, notes on ypodomes.com. As he notes, “we have managed to have annual absorptions of 30 million euros, a record number for the Municipality through the technical program of 250 million euros that we are implementing. A systematic effort is being made using every possible means at our disposal”.

Flagship works of the Municipality

One of the major projects that are in the implementation phase is the asphalt paving of approximately 50% of the Municipality’s roads. Today, as reported by the Deputy Mayor, approximately 800 roads have been paved and it is estimated that the works will cover an additional 300 roads by the end of the current four-year period. “We have taken care, as the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, has mentioned, so that the projects are divided among all the Municipal Units,” he notes.

At the same time, the maintenance projects are running in the school complexes of the Municipality, as in many of them the image was not flattering. Among the essential projects being carried out is the installation of ramps to make schools accessible to the disabled. As he underlines, the schools of the Municipality did not have such infrastructure and it was one of the first priorities of the Administration. The projects cost 30 million euros.

Vasilissis Amalias Avenue will finally have modern sidewalks

Another major project of 24 million euros running at this time, is the reconstruction of approximately 400 sidewalks in all Municipal divisions. The image of the city in many places even today is not flattering and a great effort is being made to change this. The projects are running at a pace of 50-80 reconstructed pavements per year and a large part of the city has already received interventions.

One of the most important points where modern sidewalks will be installed is on Amalias Av., in the section from Parliament to Zappeion. As incredible as it may seem in one of the most central parts of the capital, the sidewalk has no slabs at all, not even rudimentary ones, but it is covered with … asphalt.

As Mr. Axiotis noted in ypodomes, this section is in the Municipality’s program and the works are going to start soon. “We have identified the spot and were waiting for the project of the reconstruction of V.Olga’s Avenue (whose tender is proceeding and has a temporary contractor) to be launched in order to intervene and install the same floors so that there is uniformity in the area. The picture will change significantly in the next period,” he says characteristically.

Another point that will receive a “lifting” is Korai Square, above the PANEPISTIMIO Metro station. The image in this central square is also not flattering and the intervention of the Municipality is more than necessary.

National Garden and Lycabettus

Another important project currently underway is the interventions in the National Garden in the heart of the city. Among the projects that upgrade the infrastructure are interventions in the hydraulic, irrigation and electromechanical systems, in the dirt paths, in the fire fighting infrastructure, benches and new modern lighting.

Interventions are also being made in Lycabettus with the main object being its anti-flood protection. “This is a project of substance as for the first time anti-flood infrastructure will be created in the area” emphasizes the deputy mayor of Technical Works. The works are carried out on three levels with a final perimeter ditch shielding the entire area.

The other major projects in the center

During this period, the interventions on Panepistimiou street also continue. The works started in November 2021 and continue with some “surprises”. As Mr. Axiotis mentions, most underground networks do not have exact locations but indicative locations, while in many places many different networks are located in the same location.

“The networks in many places are chaotic and in a different position in relation to the studies. This means that modifications must be constantly made to the studies, but also that the projects must be carried out carefully so as not to cause any damage,” he says. The project is expected to be completed in 2023 (with an initial duration of 18 months) and concerns the widening of the sidewalks as well as new shrub and tree planting zones. With the new image of the Panepistimiou street, a more pedestrian-friendly axis is what is aimed.

At the same time, the pedestrian extension project in the Commercial Triangle is progressing, a 9 million euro project where DOMOKRAT has been declared the temporary contractor in the relevant tender. It is the continuation of the well-known project that started in the previous decade to upgrade the area.

In the building potential of the Municipality, an important effort is being made to upgrade energy, focusing on the buildings of Liosion and Athena (Technical Services) but also of the Sacred Way (cleanliness).

New anti-flood project in Κolonos

At this time, the Municipality of Athens is preparing the competition in the area of ​​Kolonos. It is a project of the order of 12 million euros for rainwater runoff, since as much as it seems paradoxical for the capital of the country, there is a place in Κolonos that it does not have it.

“There are studies from 1996 which we are updating with approval from the Region and in consultation with EYDAP. We became aware of the problem two years ago and since then a coordinated process has been taking place to move the project forward,” notes Vassilis Axiotis.

The projects will be carried out in the area of ​​Kolonos on Antigonis Street and the announcement of the project is expected to be published shortly.