Munich (dpa / lby) - Bavaria's Minister of Construction Christian Bernreiter (CSU) travels to Berlin on Wednesday for talks about the main S-Bahn line in Munich. He will meet with Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP), Bernreiter said on Saturday of the German Press Agency in Munich. According to his own statements, he wants to urge the federal government to confirm co-financing of the construction project.
Recently it became known that the mammoth project for a second tunnel tube for the S-Bahn could cost up to 7.2 billion euros instead of 3.85. In addition, the commissioning of the central route, which was actually planned for 2028, could be delayed until 2037. As a result, a dispute broke out between the federal government and the Free State of Bavaria and the city of Munich about the future and financing.
"We need quick implementation, otherwise there is a risk of construction being halted. The federal government must instruct the Federal Railway Authority to finance it," Bernreiter said. Deutsche Bahn must also provide clarity as quickly as possible. So far, it is still not possible to make any precise statements about the cost of the overall project, since Deutsche Bahn has not yet submitted a cost calculation.
Wissing had explained to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" (Saturday) that the federal government would pay 60 percent of the eligible costs. There is "no financial problem, the means are there". If possible additional costs arise, for example due to price increases in the construction industry, this is covered by the Municipal Transport Financing Act (GVFG). "And we are only allowed to pay if the cost-benefit ratio is right. We are only allowed to support projects that make economic sense."
Wissing also said that Bavaria had made a binding commitment to "finance the project through", so there was no risk that the project would be stopped halfway for financial reasons. "The federal government only gives money if it is ensured that there will be no ruins in the end."
Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) recently strictly rejected a construction freeze and stated that the federal government and Bavaria would have to share the additional costs in the agreed ratio of 60 to 40.
