The process of improving the railway network in the South continues. The lead company of the Infrastructure Pole of the FS Group, Italian Railway Network (Rfi), awarded 3,7 billion lire for the start-up of construction sites on two important railway lines in Southern Italy: a lot on the Salerno-Reggio Calabria and one on Palermo-Catania-Messina. Both tenders, won by two consortia headed by Webuild, are also financed with resources from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Thus, of the approximately 24 billion in the Plan assigned to Rfi, the company has already awarded tenders for an economic value of over 12,7 billion euro. Of these, 6,5 billion were allocated in the first months of 2023.
Over 2 billion for the Salerno-Reggio Calabria line
To be awarded the executive design and construction of the works of the Campania section of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria between Battipaglia e Romagna, a consortium of companies which brings together the companies Webuild (lead partner), Ghella, Impresa Pizzarotti and TunnelPro. This is a contract worth over 2 billion euros, for the completion of which the CEO of Rfi was appointed extraordinary government commissioner Vera Fiorani. The jobs, explains one note, will concern the construction of a new 35 km high-speed standard line, where a crossroads will be built to ensure interconnection with the current railway line from Battipaglia to Potenza. The project involves the construction of 18 kilometers of tunnels and six kilometers of viaducts. The completion of the Battipaglia-Romagnano section will have positive effects on the connections towards Potenza and therefore towards the Adriatic backbone.
As regards the other sections of the line, Rfi is planning those in the Calabrian area, in particular, for the Cosenza-Paola/San Lucido lot (Santomarco gallery) the public debate has concluded and, shortly after the authorization process has been completed, the tender will be published at the beginning of the summer. For the traits instead that concern Romagnano-Buonabitacolo e Buonabitacolo-Praia some in-depth studies are underway on the technical-economic feasibility project which, once completed, will be able to restart the currently suspended public debate and the consequent authorization process.
Over 1,6 billion for the Palermo-Catania-Messina section
The second tender concerns the executive design and construction of the works of the railway section between Caltanissetta Xirbi e Lercara, which is an integral part of the Palermo-Catania–Messina itinerary. The contract, which has a value of over 1,65 billion euros, was awarded to the consortium of companies made up of Webuild (lead partner), Ghella, Impresa Pizzarotti, Seli Overseas and TunnelPro. For the realization of the work, the special government commissioner is Philip Palace. The planned interventions, explains the note, foresee the construction of 47 kilometers of a new route with respect to the current railway line, 21 of which with viaducts (10 kilometres) and eight natural tunnels. The project also envisages the creation of a new station in Vallelunga. In addition to the lot just awarded, the sections are currently under construction Enna-Dittaino, Dittaino-Catenanuova, Catenanuova-Bicocca, Giampilieri-Fiumefreddo. At the end of April the contract was awarded for the Caltanissetta Xirbi-New Enna, while those for the Catania node and for trafficking Fiumetorto-Lercara. At the end of the works it will be possible to connect Palermo and Catania in less than two hours.
