Cagliari Metro: Final tests begin

If it’s not a curse, it’s very close. Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 29th, testing begins to certify that the ARST surface metro is ready to return to service. This is the final phase, long awaited by a city in chaos due to construction on Line 3, which will connect Piazza Repubblica with the San Saturnino station. But not everything might go smoothly with the safety inspections. The latest setback is the protest by employees of Ansfisa, the national agency responsible for safety in the railway, road, and highway infrastructure sectors, which operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. The workers are reporting serious staffing shortages. In Sardinia, only four people are working on the metro in the capital and in Sassari, and on the CTM trolleybus network: an engineer, two assistants, and an administrative staff member. This is too few, according to the unions, who have declared a state of unrest.

The commission

The group of experts will conduct two inspections: one concerns the reopening of the Gottardo-Repubblica section (up to San Saturnino), closed for over two and a half years; the other concerns the doubling of the track (completed over a year ago). Only recently did the Ministry of Transport appoint the commission, which will consist of six engineers: Marco Pellerito (Ansfisa, president), Flavio Di Nuccio (Ministry of Transport), Efisio Erbì (Ansfisa), Felice Mulas (Arst), Enrica Carrucciu (Sardinia Region), and Giulio Recanatini (Ansfisa). The meeting of the technicians, scheduled at the Arst headquarters, will analyze the documents and establish a schedule for inspections, which could begin—barring union setbacks—as early as this afternoon. The inspections are expected to last several days; upon completion, the report will be delivered to the Regional Department of Transport, which will sign the final authorization for the surface metro to enter service.

Ready to sign

Transport Councillor Barbara Manca, who has repeatedly criticised the management of ARST (an instrumental body of the Region), takes stock of the work that has disrupted city traffic and strained the patience of Cagliari residents. The opening of the metro—which, however, would be more correctly called a tram—was initially envisaged for the start of the recently concluded school year (fall 2024), then at the end of the Christmas holidays, and then after the Easter holidays. “The commission responsible for the commissioning of Cagliari’s light rail system will meet on Tuesday the 29th,” confirms Councillor Manca. “This is a crucial step for the reactivation of the service, eagerly awaited by residents and commuters in the metropolitan area. During the first meeting, a document analysis will be carried out and a detailed timetable for operational verification activities will be established, which will be divided into two phases: the first will concern the section undergoing track doubling work up to Piazza Repubblica; the second will cover the section undergoing track doubling up to Piazza Repubblica; the third will cover the section undergoing track doubling up to Piazza Repubblica; the third will cover the section undergoing track doubling up to Piazza Repubblica; the fourth will cover the section undergoing track doubling. The fourth will cover the section undergoing track doubling up to Piazza Repubblica; the fifth will cover the section undergoing track doubling. The … The second will instead concern the new extension from Piazza Repubblica to San Saturnino.” The Transport Councilor assures the utmost speed. “Once the commission has drawn up the reports of the tests carried out and the related results, the Department is ready to promptly issue the necessary authorization for the subway to return to operation. This is an important step,” the Councilor concludes, “towards the full restoration of service, which will finally be able to guarantee modern, efficient, and sustainable mobility for the citizens of Cagliari.”

Andrea Artizzu

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