GENEVA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th September, 2020) The Ceneri Base Tunnel was inaugurated by the Swiss authorities on Friday to lay a new railroad through the Alps, marking the final milestone in the construction of a major nationwide railroad network, known as the New Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA).
"This was the boldest and most farsighted decision for our country and for the protection of the Alps. Ceneri gave a new impetus to our transport policy," Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga said at the opening ceremony, going on to describe the project as "the masterpiece of the century."
The Ceneri Base Tunnel has a length of 15.4 kilometers (5.6 miles). It is expected to halve the time needed to get from Lugano to Bellinzona in the south of Switzerland and decrease the travel from the northern Swiss city of Zurich to Italy's Milano from the current four hours to three hours.
The authorities also expect that the new tunnel will contribute to reducing the number of trucks crossing through the Alps and thus decrease the level of air pollution.
The Ceneri Base Tunnel became the final centerpiece of the NRLA project, adding to the 21-mile Lotschberg Base Tunnel and the 35.5-mile Gotthard Base Tunnel.
