Metro de Lisboa says that affected by the occupation of buildings accepted compensation | Lisbon
Metropolitano de Lisboa said this Monday that all those targeted for the temporary occupation of four repairs within the scope of the circular line project, which began on Monday, signed indemnity agreements, totaling 135,000 euros.
“All those targeted signed the indemnity agreements. The reasons for the occupation were understood and there was full collaboration from the owners and tenants. There was no refusal”, informed the company Metropolitano de Lisboa, in response to the Lusa agency.
At issue is the expansion project for the creation of the circular line and the construction of the new Estrela and Santos stations, in which technical inspections were carried out in several buildings and situations in need of in-depth analysis were detected in four of them: three in Travessa do Pasteleiro and another one, without the same complex, but with entrance on Avenida Dom Carlos I.
In these four buildings, all in the Lisbon parish of Estrela, “33 fractions were identified to be temporarily occupied by the Metropolitano”, of which 28 are residential and five are allocated to economic activities, including two pieces of local accommodation, the company indicated, referring to what information is available. has remained “no change” since the first public clarification, held four weeks ago, on December 13th.
“On the 3rd of January [segunda-feira] the gradual process of temporary occupation of the buildings began, with the delivery of each of the fractions identified to the specialized teams that will follow up on the diagnoses dealt with. It is expected that these occupations will end between January 22 and February 14, 2022. The difference in the duration of the occupations of fractions is related to the need to recognize the foundations on the ground floors and with the start date of the occupation”, clarified the Lisbon Metro.
135,000 euros in indemnities
On December 14, the Municipal Assembly of Lisbon approved motions by the Liberal Initiative and by the PSD on this temporary occupation of real estate by the Metropolitan, in order to urge the Government to exercise “effective guardianship” over the public transport company, including for “the immediate suspension of the announced possession, under the temporary expropriation, scheduled for January 3, 2022”.
Asked whether any change to the planned occupation plan for these buildings was evaluated following the motions of the Municipal Assembly of Lisbon, the company stated that “there is no need for any change to the plan”, meaning that the agreements with all users were already in advance , having in the meantime been signed and paid as agreed indemnities.
“The total of the agreements covers a total value of 135 million euros destined to indemnities. So far, all fractions have already received the indemnity value”, revealed Metropolitano de Lisboa, indicating that the values that were defined are of reserved knowledge between the defined parties and were determined based on reports prepared by an appraised expert of the List of Justice ministry.
According to the public transport company, compensation includes, for example, hotel accommodation or local accommodation for the period of occupation, the difference in cost for meals away from home, treatment of clothes outside the home, travel and moving and cleaning the house.
“In cases where it was not at all possible to carry out full occupation, solutions were found that allow commercial activities to continue working while the diagnostic operations are taking place”, added the Metropolitano, explaining that this solution aimed to disturb as little as possible. commercial activities, allowing the maintenance of jobs.
Of the 28 housing fractions, “only three residents requested alternative accommodation from Metropolitano de Lisboa” and it is provided in accommodation units, indicated the company, adding that the remaining solution is for itself, whether in family homes, hotels or local accommodation.
The company stressed that this is “a process considered urgent”, with the primary objective of safeguarding the safety of people and goods, as they are centuries-old buildings and predating the building regulations, so “there is not enough information about their structure or foundations and that were the target, over time, of successive works in its interior, which resulted in a change in the structure”.
In case there is a need to reinforce the structures of the buildings, “it will be carried out without any expense for the owners and occupants of the same”, revealed the Metropolitan, ensuring that “the owners and/or owners of the properties in question will benefit from interventions since they involve the preservation, safety and comfort of people and goods”.