The major project of the main line of Thessaloniki Metro is now in the final stages of being delivered to the Greek State, as the management of AKTOR, a subsidiary of Intrakat Group, noted today in the presence of the political leadership of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the management of Hellenic Metro.

“The Thessaloniki Metro project is finished,” announced AKTOR President and CEO Alexandros Exarchou, who added that now all that remains is for the tests to be completed and that Thessaloniki will have a Metro at the end of November. Mr. Exarchou stressed that the company has kept its commitment to deliver the project on the specified date from the moment Intrakat Group acquired AKTOR at the end of 2023. And he stressed that the project can be used as an important lesson on what not to do in the undertaking and execution of a major project, but also on how they should be implemented in order to be completed properly, as happened last year with AKTOR, in Thessaloniki Metro.

The CEO of the company praised the tremendous effort made by the people of AKTOR over the last year in order to complete the project. He added that we should not forget that this would have been impossible to achieve without the exemplary cooperation between the contractor and the public sector, noting that this example should be left as a legacy in the technical affairs of the country, as it can contribute to better projects in the future. “The objective has been achieved”, Mr. Exarchou added. “We are delivering possibly the most modern Metro in Europe,” he pointed out, adding that the Venizelos station will be the most beautiful station in Europe. “We are proud to deliver a jewel for Thessaloniki and Greece as a whole,” he concluded.

87 days before delivery

For his part, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Staikouras said: “We are just 87 days away from the delivery of the Metro to the citizens of Thessaloniki. The completion of the construction of the Thessaloniki Metro and its delivery to the service of the citizens translates all the aspirations that are at the core of our strategy.” Mr. Staikouras stressed: “To date, the overall implementation rate of the financial scope of the contract is 94.60%. Having completed the construction of the project, all that remains is to complete the testing of the electromechanical systems and rolling stock.” At the same time, he presented in detail the actions taken in recent months to complete the project.

“The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport demonstrates, in practice, how it plans, launches, implements and delivers to the citizens of Thessaloniki projects that improve their daily life, upgrade the level of infrastructure in transport services, highlight the role and principles of sustainable urban mobility and transform Thessaloniki into a model of development for the whole country,” concluded the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport.

For his part, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, responsible for Infrastructure, Mr Nikos Tachiaos, noted: “When we announce the future extensions of the Metro, it does not mean that we start tomorrow. We are looking for financial resources to move the projects forward. It is not a simple matter. At the moment, infrastructure is not a priority in European programs and therefore it is a future exercise for our Ministry, as in order to address European bodies and international funding agencies, the baseline must first be delivered. For this reason, 30 November is a milestone day for Thessaloniki. It will change the image of the city, both internally and externally, so that we can apply for funding for the extension of the Metro. By reaching its delivery we can limit the disputes only to political forums.”

“Right now the city needs a project. We are saying, ‘yes, we can deliver projects.’ We know how to deliver projects. There are companies that can support them and we will do projects. The city needs to draw on its optimism and confidence – because it’s not just a central government issue – and come with us to take the next step,” Tachiaos concluded.

What has happened since November 2023

In the 10 months that AKTOR has been controlled by Intrakat Group, a titanic effort has been made to raise and complete the project, including:

– The repositioning of the antiquities at Venizelos Station, as well as their promotion and conservation, which brings to Thessaloniki essentially its new museum
– The rendering of the construction site surfaces, which restores normality to the city
– The architectural works at all Metro stations
– The construction and handover of the depot to Hellenic Metro
– The installation and testing of the electromechanical systems
– The testing inspections – which are crucial for passenger safety – for the final certification of the project and the issuance of the operating license
– The training of the operating company’s staff by AKTOR’s qualified personnel in all Metro operating systems

From December 1, 2023 to August 2024, the Metro project recorded 875,000 hours of employment of labor and scientific personnel.