Last Monday, in the conference room of the CGIL Catania, a meeting was held open to the various associative realities of the Etna capital, as well as to the citizens of the entire district on the current situation of the Circumetnea Railway.
It constitutes a historical, naturalistic and landscape resource not only for the territory it passes through, but also for the whole of Sicily. A priceless heritage that is soon at risk of being decapitated, of being compromised in the name of private interests. After the historical excursus by Giovanni Scalia, spokesperson for the Amici della Circumetnea – Riposto association, Attilio Pavone intervenes.
He is one of the pillars of the Salvalacircum Committee; he explained, with data and slides in hand, how the Circumetnea Railway is at the mercy of speculators. Under the pretext of progress and speed, the political class claims to be tending towards the good of sustainable mobility when it decides to bury a section of the Circumetnea, precisely from Catania Borgo to Paternò. The intent, according to the lies carried forward, is to dig to build a “subway”. A work of clientelistic speculation, as well as environmental devastation, which will not bring any benefit to local public transport. Once the works are completed, the new route will not reduce travel times. There are also critical issues regarding the geological and morphological nature of the territory. Paternò does not provide continuity with the urban fabric of Catania, so various lands will be compromised by overbuilding. Initially the PUMS (urban sustainable mobility plan) envisaged a real extension of the metro in the areas of Catania where the service does not exist. Instead, the PUMS was falsified to endorse the extension project towards Paternò. After further in-depth analysis, the meeting ends with the Salvalacircum Committee’s intention to draw up a document to be signed by the various Catania entities that support the cause.
