President Michelle Bachelet takes part in the initial tests on Line 6 of Santiago de Chile’s underground system

On July 4, Chile’s President, Michelle Bachelet, took part in the initial tests on Line 6 of Santiago de Chile’s underground system. Bío Bío was the Santiago metro station chosen for the start of this “white march”. The test period for the automatic driverless trains, and the training of the staff required to manage the new line, is now beginning. Bachelet was accompanied by Rodrigo Azócar, President of the Santiago metro; Alberto Undurraga, Minister for Public Works; Paola Tapia, Transport Minister; and Claudio Orrego, Intendant of the Metropolitan Region. Present on behalf of Ferrovial Agroman were Alejandro Martino, Civil Works Manager, and Osvaldo Andrés Angulo, Group Leader and Contract Administrator for the Franklin and Bío Bío stations, as well as part of the team working at the station. Bío Bío station, on Line 6, is one of nine stations being built by Ferrovial Agroman in Santiago de Chile. This line alone will carry more than 2,2 million passengers per year from neighbouring districts. It is expected to come into operation in September or October of this year. Having toured the station facilities in Barrio Franklin, also built by Ferrovial, President Bachelet highlighted the importance of the new network for the city, as it will provide shorter travel times for passengers. Azócar, President of the Santiago metro, explained that the trial period will run into the second half of September and will serve to ensure that all systems are perfectly synchronised. Overall control and monitoring of the system will be carried out from the Integrated Control Centre located in the future Ñuñoa station, on Line 3, likewise built by Ferrovial. Work is now 96% complete, with the platform doors, turnstiles and station infrastructures being in place. Only a few escalators, lifts and external surface elements remain. Regarding lines 1 and 3, on which Ferrovial Agroman is also working, Bachelet confirmed that they will be operational in 2015 and 2025 respectively.