The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, has assured that the High Speed between Madrid and Valencia will be operational “at most” in 15 days. As explained by the minister in one of the two affected tunnels, the Torrent tunnel, no damage has been caused “beyond the flooding.”
Punte explained in an interview on RNE’s ‘Las Mañanas’ that the Chiva tunnel will have to be rebuilt. Furthermore, the minister has assured that the Government has already approved 13 million euros to begin “urgently” restoring the A-7, which is closed and impossible to travel.
The Government hopes that in 10 or 12 days it will be able to reopen the A-7 to traffic, although at a limited speed thanks to the installation of some “boxes”.
“The works started yesterday, we cannot go faster,” the minister insisted. Puente has once again stressed that the situation is “tremendously serious”, with 80 kilometers of the state’s road network affected by the damage.
Puente has also announced 12.2 million euros for the repair of the N-322 and has recalled that the A-3 is only open for emergency services, but you have to circulate “in a twist” due to the damage and the accumulation vehicular.
The most serious damage is concentrated in the Valencia commuter network, since of the five existing lines, three have disappeared, especially C3, with 45 kilometers of which “nothing can be recovered.”
Asked about the areas to which aid has not yet been able to reach, as is the case of Chiva, he assured that the Executive has put all means at the service of the Generalitat Valenciana and pointed out that yesterday they were already talking about that several helicopters joined the device to transport supplies to those areas.
“I put myself in your place, but I ask for calm and that the recommendations of the emergency services be followed,” added Puente, who has acknowledged being “concerned” but dedicating “all the energy and dedication” to trying to resolve the situation and that Help arrives “as soon as possible.”
He has once again emphasized that “we are a decentralized country” and with “clear powers” and that is why it is the Generalitat that manages the aid, with the collaboration of the central government. “Things are done better hand in hand,” he noted.
Regarding the sanitation infrastructure, he stressed that they are “seriously damaged”, both the supply and supply infrastructure, so “it will take a long time” to recover normality and we must look for “alternative channels” and that is what they are doing. pouring all efforts.
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