Chiaia Funicular, work has started after 375 days

Finally: after five extensions granted for the works of the twenty-yearly revision that should have been carried out already in 2017, four tenders, of which the first three went unsold, biblical times to develop the project by the only company that participated in the last tender and finally, after 375 days from the closure, which occurred on 1 October 2022, and after numerous protests and demonstrations by committees and citizens, the works on the funicular of Chiaia, have begun.

Gennaro Capodanno, engineer, president of the Comitato Valori collineri, one of those who fought hardest for the reopening of the Chiaia funicular says: “In the meantime, the repercussions on traffic due to the prolonged shutdown of the important cableway system, over this long period of time, have also worsened due to the total insufficiency of the replacement vehicles deployed by the ANM.

Traffic in Vomero continues to go haywire every day with blocked streets and squares, especially during rush hour, at the entrance and exit of schools, especially along the arteries that branch off from Piazza degli Artisti to reach other areas of the hill but also in the quadrilateral via Cimarosa, via Bernini, via Stanzione, via Annella di Massimo”.

“By the way – emphasizes Capodanno – there is growing disappointment over the excessive duration expected for the execution of the works. Certainly these are important works that involve the replacement of all the electrical, electromechanical and mechanical equipment of the winch room and the systems connected to traction, for a total amount of just under 7 million euros. But three hundred days or ten months for their realization is a lot and the system.

Adding the time needed to carry out the tests aimed at obtaining the clearance from Ansfisa, the Chiaia funicular should reopen, if all goes well and in the absence of other hitches during the works, in October of next year, with an overall shutdown of over two years, compared to the six months originally indicated: a time therefore quadrupled!”.

“In this regard – adds Capodanno – it is not explained why the time for the execution of the works was extended to ten months, differently from what was indicated in the first tender, when it was expected that the plant would remain closed for only six months. This is also true in light of the fact that the works relating to the building works not strictly connected to the intervention on the electromechanical parts, such as those on the facades, were removed from the last tender, building works that should be carried out later, with the plant in operation, even if there is still little clarity on this aspect”.

“My proposal – points out Capodanno – is that instead the executing company, in agreement with the contracting authority, activate operational methods to speed up the times for the construction of the works, also by carrying out work during the night and in three shifts, increasing, where this is necessary, also the number of workers. In this way, the duration of the works can be reduced to the original period, that is, six months. Consequently, the Chiaia funicular could be reopened to the public before the summer period of next year”.

"Whatever happens – concludes New Year’s Eve – Napoli once again it will acquire a new negative record in the operation of public transport. In fact, confirming the current schedule, in the end, the Chiaia funicular, if the times for the execution of the works were not reduced, as requested, will have remained closed for at least two years, largely beating the record held by the Central funicular which, also for the twenty-year revision works, remained closed to the public from 1 August 2016 to 22 July 2017, for just under a year”.