By Angelo Amante
ROME (Reuters) -Italy’s government was set on Wednesday to give the final approval to the multi-billion-euro project to build a bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland, paving the way for works to begin after decades of discussions.
Construction for the 3.6-km (2.2-miles) bridge, projected to be one of the longest in the world, has been talked about since the late 1960s to help develop the impoverished south of Italy.
The right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made it a priority and has set aside 13.5 billion euros ($15.63 billion) over the next 10 years for the bridge and surrounding facilities.
The Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (CIPESS) is due to meet at 1230 pm (1030 GMT).
Matteo Salvini, the leader of the ruling League Party and Infrastructure Minister, has announced that he will hold a press conference afterwards, before travelling to the site of the bridge’s construction.
The Strait of Messina Bridge Project was awarded to the Eurolink consortium following an international tender. Italy’s largest construction company Webuild leads the consortium, which also has Spanish group Sacyr and Japanese group IHI as its members.
According to the Messina Strait Company overseeing the project, the government committee approval would allow the start of preliminary works, including archaeological and geological surveys. Land expropriations will also be authorised.
Last week, Salvini told reporters that validation by the national audit court would be required before the CIPESS resolution could take effect. A source close to the matter said this could take a few weeks.
The bridge has drawn fierce criticism from those who question the wisdom of building it in an earthquake zone and those who say it would be a waste of money and harmful to the landscape, amid fears that the Cosa Nostra and ‘Ndrangheta criminal gangs based in the area could infiltrate the works to reap huge profits.
Some citizens’ groups are campaigning against the bridge, calling it unnecessary, and environmental associations this week filed a complaint with the European Union, flagging serious environmental damage risks.
Yet, the bridge also has strong support from those who believe a fast rail and road connection as an alternative to the current ferry crossing would provide a much-needed boost to Sicily and the rest of Italy’s poorer southern regions.
Webuild has active construction projects worldwide including Saudi Arabia’s NEOM gigaproject. Sacyr participated in the Panama Canal expansion, and IHI has been involved in the Akashi suspension bridge in Japan and the Osman Gazi suspension bridge in Turkey.
Webuild has estimated that the construction could create more than 100,000 jobs. According to the Messina Strait Company, the bridge will be completed in 2032.
Two years ago, Webuild appointed Gianni De Gennaro, a former head of the Italian police and undersecretary of state for intelligence and security services, as president of Eurolink.
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(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Additional reporting and writing by Giselda Vagnoni; Editing by Alvise Armellini and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
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