This unexpected turnaround comes after the Fréjus railway was shut down due to a landslide in August 2023. The dramatic change in stance occurred just days after an interview with Emmanuel Manier, Head of Engineering for the French Railways in the South-East region, was published in the French daily Les Echos. In the interview, Manier indicated that restoration work might extend well beyond Autumn 2024. This followed the January 26, 2024, presentation of recovery projects by the French railway network operator, SNCF Réseau.
The turning point took place during the January 29 meeting of the intergovernmental commission on the Turin-Lyon line, which is primarily tasked with overseeing the new cross-border railway. However, given the current emergency, the meeting focused mainly on restoring the historic railway. The French delegation, representing the Government of Paris, effectively refuted SNCF Réseau, confirming that restoration works are expected to be completed by October 2024, as previously planned and announced.
According to the French representatives, the landslide did not damage the tunnel itself, and approximately 20,000 cubic meters of material that had spilled onto the road and railway track have already been removed. Only a section of the mountain slope remains to be secured, after which repair work on the damaged tracks can commence. Therefore, the possibility of reopening by Autumn 2024 appears entirely feasible.
The Italian delegation, led by Paolo Foietta, even hopes for a further acceleration of the restoration works. This topic will be discussed in an upcoming meeting scheduled for March 14, 2024. Only then will it be possible to have a clear understanding of the progress of the interventions and the prospects for restoration. Nonetheless, the recent shift in position by the French institutions marks a significant change from a dire forecast to one that suggests a routine construction project.
P.C.S.
