Yes to immediate and "preliminary" interventions for Genoa for a total of 500 million euros and yes to the design of the new steel bridge to be built in 8 months but for now no response to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's request to multiply by four or five the economic availability announced on the day of the funeral of the victims and confirmed today. This is what the Board of Directors of Autostrade per l'Italia decided this morning, in an extraordinary session under the chairmanship of Fabio Cerchiai for an update on the dramatic event of 14 August.
The BoD - reads a note - listened to the technical managers regarding the activities carried out by the concessionaire in relation to the work and the actions implemented from the very first minutes, with the resources and available personnel. More than 150 men and vehicles from the Autostrade per l'Italia company collaborated with local institutions, civil protection, the fire brigade and the police during the dramatic moments.
The CEO Giovanni Castellucci then informed the Council on the immediate support plan for the city of Genoa, already operational, pending the investigation of the causes that led to the event, and on the numerous meetings with the institutions that took place from the early hours and illustrated the plan of interventions in favor of the families of the victims and families forced to move from their homes, the reconstruction plan of the collapsed bridge and an alternative road plan in the city of Genoa.
“The BoD has been informed of the activity carried out by the Chief Executive Officer, and of his personal involvement from the first minutes in the collaboration with local institutions and in the management of all the activities that will make it possible to deal with the emergency. In this context, while awaiting the results of the ongoing investigations, the Board shared an initial list of initiatives (for a preliminary estimate of 500 million euros - financed by its own means) already announced during Saturday's press conference in Genoa. In particular:
- Support for families affected by the tragedy: As regards the families of the victims and all those who have been forced to leave their homes, Autostrade per l'Italia has responded to the appeal launched on the Change.org social platform, setting up a new fund to meet the basic needs of families affected by the tragedy and the needs of displaced persons. Requests are collected at the two Points set up together with the Municipality within the Buranello civic center and at the Caffaro school, as well as via a dedicated email (autostradepergenova@autostrade.it).
The company has also proposed to the Municipality of Genoa the establishment of a Social Fund of a few million euros - which would be managed by the Municipality itself - to be allocated to help the families of the victims, regardless of any future compensation or compensation.
-Reconstruction of the bridge: Autostrade per l'Italia is continuing the design activities for the reconstruction of the Morandi bridge. The project – for which Autostrade is coordinating a group of companies, executors and planners, including international ones, in Genoa – involves the demolition of the current remaining structures of the bridge over the Polcevera and the reconstruction of the steel bridge using the most modern technologies available today in an estimated period of 8 months, starting from the receipt of the necessary authorisations.
- Genoa road network: the company studied together with the Municipality of Genoa and with the technical collaboration of Sviluppo Genova, a company owned by the Municipality, urgent interventions for the restoration of the road network and the activation of alternative roads. In particular, a road axis on the right side of the Polcevera stream, a roundabout to facilitate entry to the port, the safety of a state-owned viaduct for access to the Genoa Airport tollbooth, a route reserved for heavy vehicles in the Ilva areas. Operations have already begun for this last intervention.
Still on the subject of city roads, Autostrade per l'Italia has expressed its willingness to support other initiatives useful for facilitating the mobility of Genoese citizens.
-Toll suspension: Payment of the motorway toll on the Genoese network has been suspended for all users, with retroactive effect starting from 14 August and until the complete reconstruction of the bridge over the Polcevera. Transit on the motorway becomes free for those traveling on the following routes: Genoa Bolzaneto-Genoa West-Genoa East and Genoa Pra'-Genoa Pegli-Genoa Airport”.
The Board of Directors also took note of the letter of objections received from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and will be reconvened in good time to provide and approve an adequate response to the same. But the company's final statement makes no mention of the request made by Prime Minister Conte, in an interview with Corriere della Sera, to multiply by 4 or 5 the economic and financial resources that Autostrade should make available.
Tomorrow it will instead be the turn of the board of directors of Atlantia, the holding company that controls Autostrade, to give a ruling and it is not excluded that, beyond the political confrontation, negotiation scenarios may open up with the government to avoid both the revocation of the concession and the nationalization of the network also at the cost of a higher outlay.
