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Greek transport minister urges mayor to certify rack railway safety amid public dispute
🇬🇷 Greece /Energy & Infrastructure

Greek transport minister urges mayor to certify rack railway safety amid public dispute

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Greece's Deputy Minister of Transport, Konstantinos Kyranakis, has publicly urged the mayor of Kalavryta to sign a safety certification for the Diakofto-Kalavryta rack railway.
  • The ministry claims the mayor's actions contradict his public statements and that the municipality has failed to provide the required official confirmation for the railway's safe operation.
  • The historical railway's reopening for the summer season is crucial for Kalavryta's tourism and economy, but remains stalled due to the safety certification dispute.

A public dispute has erupted between Greece's Ministry of Transport and the municipality of Kalavryta over the reopening of the historic Diakofto-Kalavryta rack railway. Deputy Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis has issued an open letter to Mayor Athanasios Papadopoulos, urging him to take responsibility and sign the necessary safety certification required by the Hellenic Railways (OSE) for the line's operation during the summer season.

a major contradiction

— Konstantinos KyranakisDescribing the discrepancy between the mayor's public statements and his actions regarding the railway's safety.

Kyranakis accused the mayor of a "major contradiction" between his public declarations and his actions, and of unreliability regarding assurances given in ministry meetings. The deputy minister recalled that the mayor publicly stated on May 14 that he would assume responsibility for the train's passage through the Vouraikos Gorge, noting that no rockfall accidents had occurred in 130 years. However, when OSE formally requested a certification from the municipality, there was no response. Subsequently, the municipality responded that it "mentions but does not certify" the relevant data.

The deputy minister also referenced assurances from the mayor and municipal representatives in meetings with regional and parliamentary officials, stating that no landslides occur in the area during the summer months. He highlighted that OSE has already completed cleaning work on the tracks to facilitate the railway's potential reopening. Kyranakis emphasized that the rack railway "will not reopen with public statements or demonstrations," urging the mayor and municipal technical services to sign the certification to allow the line to resume service.

mentions but does not certify

— Municipality of KalavrytaThe municipality's response to OSE's request for a safety certification.

The issue of the rack railway's operation remains a significant concern for the local community in Kalavryta, as its reopening is directly linked to the region's tourism and economic activity. The public confrontation between the ministry and the municipality is expected to continue, with the question of required guarantees for the safe operation of the iconic railway still unresolved. Hellenic Railways (OSE) has stated that it has completed the necessary maintenance and cleaning work on the Diakofto-Kalavryta line in preparation for a potential summer reopening, but this remains contingent on receiving official confirmation from local authorities regarding the reduction of risks.

The rack railway will not reopen with public statements or demonstrations

— Konstantinos KyranakisUrging the mayor to provide the necessary safety certification.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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