The city of Tallinn terminated the contract with the company INF Infra OÜ. This company was supposed to build two tunnels for pedestrians and cyclists on Endla Street. The city says the company did not fulfill the contract.
Kristjan Järvan, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn, said the contract was terminated because the company was unable to carry out the work. One reason was that Eesti Raudtee did not allow the suspension of train traffic.
The tunnels were supposed to connect Tehnika Street with Kristiine Center. The project also included the renovation of roads and sewage systems. In the future, Kristiine would become a major public transport hub where buses, trams, and trains would meet.
The work began in October 2023. First, the sewage system was built. Currently, the pipes are ready. The cost of the work exceeds two million euros.
However, problems then arose. The company could not obtain permission to close the railway. They also did not submit a schedule for completing the work. They said the tunnels might not be ready until 2028, but the contract stipulated a different timeframe.
Elari Udam, a Tallinn official, said the company did not fulfill the contract. Therefore, the city terminated the contract. Now, the city is looking for a new way to complete the tunnels.
Initially, the construction was supposed to be completed by January 2027. The construction of the tunnels costs 4.2 million euros. This money is provided by the city of Tallinn and Tallinna Vesi.