Gotthard tunnel set to reopen for Christmas
The fire-ravaged Gotthard tunnel is set to reopen to cars in December but trucks will have to wait until next May to use the route.
The timetable for re-opening the tunnel – Switzerland main-north south axis – was unveiled in Bellinzona by the Ticino cantonal minister for public works, Marco Borradori.
The tunnel was closed on October 24 after a collision between two trucks sparked an inferno, killing 11 people and causing major structural damage to the roof.
Borradori said that only vehicles under three tonnes would be allowed to use the tunnel until the ventilation system had been overhauled.
The authorities began clearing the tunnel on Friday, three days ahead of the planned schedule. Investigators have refused so far to communicate any possible findings.
The October 24 disaster and the tunnel’s subsequent closure has cost the state of Ticino around SFr150 million, said the cantonal finance minister, Marina Masoni.
Ticino has asked the Swiss government for financial aid to deal with the crisis and demanded that a second tunnel be built to ease traffic flows.
The 17-kilometre tunnel is used by truckers, business travellers and holidaymakers driving between Germany and Italy.
An estimated 19,000 vehicles use the Gotthard every day, and industry sources say 80 per cent of cargo shipped from Italy to northern European airports goes through the tunnel.
A key alternate route, the Mont Blanc tunnel between France and Italy, has been closed since 1999, after a fire killed 39 people.
swissinfo with agencies
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