Two years after authorities shut down the Athens tram line between Kasomouli Street in the Athens neighbourhood of Neos Kosmos and central Syntagma due to safety concerns, the Urban Rail Transport Company (STASY) on Wednesday began the initial testing phase to determine its fate.
The tram’s service between Kasomouli and Syntagma was suspended in October 2018 amid concerns that the ground beneath the tracks, over the old Ilissos riverbed, was at risk of subsiding.
According to the Transport Ministry, the first test run which was carried out between Kasomouli and Vouliagmeni stations, showed positive results.
Further tests will be conducted in the coming days.
Engineers installed pressure sensors to measure and record load distribution along the tunnel under the tram line.
Early indications are encouraging, suggesting that the line can be put back into operation without structural improvements.
Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis said testing would be thorough to ensure that the tram connection to Syntagma can resume safely “at a difficult time when it is important for citizens to have another modern form of transport.”