Swiss court upholds decision to annul Ceneri Base Tunnel contracts

A Swiss court has responded to concerns over the awarding of two contracts in the construction of a new rail line through the Alps between Switzerland and Italy.

In August 2013, AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd awarded the ’railway track and logistics’ and ‘railway systems and overall coordination’ contracts, worth a combined CHF 225 million, to the Mons Ceneris Consortium and CPC Consortium respectively.

Both have now been cancelled and returned to AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd after questions were raised over the ‘suitability’ of the successful consortia.

AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd has 30 days from the judgement to appeal against the decision.

In a statement the authority said it will: “analyse these decisions and decide how it will proceed in the next few days.”

AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd also said it was “not yet possible” to say whether or not the decision would affect the planned opening of the tunnel in 2019.

The 15-kilometre tunnel will sit to the south of the Gotthard Base tunnel and form part of the high-speed New Rail Link through the Alps (NRLA).

Excavation work is due to continue until 2015.




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