For the doubling of the railway line between Decimomannu and Villamassargia, a work expected for decades that could contribute to the development of Sulcis, the EU has allocated 130 million euros. Another 50 million for the reduction of water losses, which in the island's networks hover steadily around 50% (with peaks of 63% in Sassari). The objective of the Pnrr - national recovery and resilience plan - is to bring the island closer to the rest of Europe, with the funding of 4,743 projects. But most of the construction sites are late, and many have not even started.
The scenery
Of course, it's not like the other regions of Italy are racing. "Some interventions between now and June 30, 2026", i.e. the expected deadline, "cannot be carried out, and it is scientific that this is the case, we must say it clearly and not wait for 2025 to open the debate on who is to blame". explained the Minister of European Affairs Raffaele Fitto.
On Tuesday, the minister and the Sardinian governor Christian Solinas met face to face, in the context of the meetings he is holding with the Regions precisely on the Pnrr to integrate some aspects of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Some of Rfi's projects for the modernization of the Sardinian railway network – which in several sections is very similar to that of the late 1800s – are still at a standstill. Yet reading the timetable they should already be well under way. According to the Openpolis Foundation's Pnrr observatory, the doubling of the line between Decimomannu and Villamassargia should be 50% completed. However, the work has not yet begun. The same goes for the rail link between Olbia and Costa Smeralda airport.
The alarm
The finish line is still far away. The only contracts more or less in line with the expected times are those for the technological upgrading of the railway line (at 50%, but they should be at 60%). «To tell the truth, a lot has been done, but all these works to date have not made it possible to speed up and reduce travel times», says Arnaldo Boeddu, regional secretary of Filt CGIL, «in general, in order not to risk losing the financial resources and throw away a unique opportunity, we need the urgent convening of a table in which the social partners are present".
