If the board has its way, there is a good chance that the Brenner Base Tunnel will actually be completed in 2031, as planned, and put into service in 2032. “The chance that the deadline will be met increases,” explains board member Martin Gradnitzer. However, the tender in the field of railway technology is still an uncertain task, because there are objections to it.
Risks for possible delays have been included in the current construction program and project management, so that from the current perspective the dates 2031 and 2032 can be confirmed, Gradnitzer said in an interview with the APA. In addition: “All tunnel construction plots have been allocated and are under construction. This means that there can no longer be any procurement risks arising from the building plots.” In addition, there is now talk of an “almost continuous exploration tunnel”, which is of eminent importance for geological exploration. “There are only 1.6 kilometers to go until we break through the border. This means that geological risks are significantly reduced and the mountains are largely explored,” explains the Austrian BAT board.
Objection to the award of a planning tender
However, a “stumbling block” in the field of procurement law now appears to have arisen. “The rail technology that must be installed from 2028 has not yet been put out to tender. “We have awarded the tender here and have received an objection or request for review, which is being dealt with by the administrative court in Bolzano,” Gradnitzer explains. The negotiation is scheduled for March 7, according to board member Gilberto Cardola. As things currently stand, a ruling, i.e. a judgment in first instance, is expected at the end of March. It is hoped that the court is aware of this ‘sensitive matter and that the dates and deadlines are adhered to.’ If a first instance judgment is issued in March, a corresponding order can be issued immediately and planning services can start in March. April.
If a first-instance ruling does not come until the autumn, which is not expected, it would be “difficult” to meet the deadlines for 2031 and therefore also 2032, Gradnitzer admitted. But that is not the case yet. And the BBT manager also emphasized: ‘We assume that the judgment in the first instance will stand.’ So far there has been a ‘small delay’ in the tender for the railway technology, but this has been taken into account and therefore has ‘no impact yet’. ”.
The corona crisis caused delays
The tunnel was originally scheduled to be put into use at the end of 2028, but in 2021 it was ultimately pushed back to 2032. Cardola clearly cited the Corona crisis as the main reason for this. A “global catastrophe like Covid could not be foreseen and therefore neither could the risk,” the Italian government said. Work never had to be completely interrupted during that time, but work naturally proceeded more slowly due to health and safety requirements. The difference with the past: the construction program now also takes other risks such as tender procedures, equipment and planning into account.
Source: Krone
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