VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Revised plans for Malta’s proposed metro system would cost around €2.8 billion to implement, Prime Minister Robert Abela said.
The updated proposal, which reworks routes first outlined in 2021, more than halves the initial €6 billion estimate. Abela said the new system would be a “hybrid” of underground and overground lines, with some sections running through undeveloped land.
Although technical studies are still ongoing, the €2.8 billion figure includes projected cost overruns. Abela did not specify when a final decision would be made, saying discussions remain underway.
The prime minister confirmed that ARUP, the international firm assessing the metro’s feasibility, has yet to meet Finance Minister Clyde Caruana to discuss costings.
Caruana had earlier cautioned against rushing into a mass transport system, warning that Malta could be “royally screwed” if the project went wrong.
Abela acknowledged the finance minister’s caution but insisted the country must invest in its future transport system. “If we do things responsibly, this will be a project that defines the country,” he said.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
