Six months after a collapse in a work on the Line-6 Orange of the Metro that opened a crater in the Marginal do Tietê jobsite, the government of São Paulo announced, this Thursday (21), that the tunneling machine, popularly known as tatuzão, should resume excavations heading south in August.
As for the investigation into the causes of the incident, there is still no expected conclusion. The delivery schedule for the complete work was maintained for the end of 2025.
The accident occurred near Ponte do Piqueri, west of São Paulo. According to the government, the problem was caused by the rupture of a sewage collector. The reason for the breakup was not clarified. There were no casualties.
The line will be 15.3 km long and is the result of a public-private partnership (PPP) between the State and the Linha Universidade concessionaire. Connecting Brasilândia, in the north zone, to the Liberdade region, in the center, it will have 15 stations. The estimate is to transport more than 600 thousand people per day.
“I also paid a visit to the tunnel that passes under the Tietê River, where in August we will have the resumption of drilling of the armadillos in the central direction and, until the beginning of November, the beginning of the drilling of the work of Line-6 in the north direction ”, said Governor Rodrigo Garcia (PSDB), at the construction site of the future Santa Marina station, in Água Branca, the most advanced. About 40% of the works have already been completed on site. He highlighted that, despite the incident, “the work did not stop” and other work fronts were strengthened so that the schedule is fulfilled.
In the six months that have passed, the construction company’s focus has been on draining the water and recovering the structures at the accident site, in order to remove the armadillo and begin repairs, as highlighted by Lucio Mateucci, deputy director of the Spanish group Acciona responsible for constructions. “The machine is still under repair and the forecast is that at the end of August, when all the materials that still need to be imported arrive, we will resume the excavation of the machine that goes south and will excavate 10 km.”
As for the investigation into what actually caused the accident, Garcia pointed out that there is still no forecast for the conclusion of the survey, which depends on “sophisticated engineering”. According to him, the reports are being made by the Technological Research Institute (IPT) and the investigations are being monitored by “all State and control bodies”.
Regarding the financial impact, the governor highlighted that, for now, the concessionaire has paid all the amounts – which were not informed during the press conference. “At the end of the investigation, if there is any liability on the part of the State or on the part of the concessionaire, the triggers of the contract will be activated with the aim of repairing damage.”
Source: CNN Brasil
