Athens Metro Line 4: Evacuation Advice Clashes With Official Stance
Technical Chamber recommends residents leave homes for 10-15 days during tunneling; deputy minister says no evacuation order exists.
KEY POINTS
- TEE recommends preventive evacuation for 10-15 days during tunneling under Kypseli buildings.
- Deputy Minister Tachiaos states no evacuation order exists; engineering data does not support it.
- Tunnel boring machine halted since May 8 under five damaged apartment blocks.
- 35 buildings inspected; 25 affected, 14 referred to TEE for restoration opinions.
- Contractor consortium to cover all repair costs; separate opinion per building planned.
The Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) has advised residents in Kypseli to vacate their homes for 10 to 15 days when the tunnel boring machine passes beneath their buildings, according to resident representative Alexandros Koutroularis. He relayed the recommendation from TEE President Giorgos Stasinos at an emergency Athens municipal council session on September 23. The machine has been stationary since May 8 under five apartment blocks where damage was detected.
Deputy Infrastructure Minister Nikos Tachiaos, present at the same session, insisted no evacuation order has been issued. He stated that while reasons for immediate structural interventions exist, engineering data does not justify evacuations. Tachiaos acknowledged residents' anxiety over cracks and jammed doors but said priority remains restoring buildings above the completed tunnel section.
“We are at this point, gentlemen. 'Elliniko Metro' is digging by luck.”
Approximately 35 apartment buildings have been inspected, with 25 flagged for concern. Of those, 14 have been referred to the TEE for restoration assessments. Tachiaos said separate expert opinions will be issued for each building rather than a single blanket ruling, and the contractor consortium will cover all repair costs.
Residents have waited six months for clear answers and full technical data. Koutroularis accused state agencies of a "theatre of the absurd," noting trust in Elliniko Metro has collapsed. The deputy minister admitted he was only briefed on the problems in July, raising questions about earlier oversight.
No new tunneling protocol has been agreed upon yet. Tachiaos pledged no work will restart before safety measures are finalized and communicated. Intermediate and final TEE opinions are still pending, leaving the restart timeline uncertain.
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