Politics Unofficial

Citizens will take revenge

The front against the long-distance pass tunnel is growing locally.

(Bild: Hubert Daum)

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

The state government wants to push through its long-distance pass plans. Knowing that local resistance is growing from week to week. But the next elections are sure to come!

It will be interesting to see how long the state government sticks to its long-distance pass plans. Opposition to the planned 160 million euro crest tunnel and the 260 million euro 2nd tube of the Lermoos Tunnel is growing from week to week. However, the resistance is not (only) coming from the opposition in the state parliament, but above all from the affected population. This is also being felt by the Transit Forum with its Xund's Leben groups, which, according to Fritz Gurgiser, have seen an enormous increase in membership in recent weeks. "In contrast to politicians, we represent the concerns of private and business residents in a 100% neutral and uninfluenced manner and in line with national and European legal obligations," emphasizes Fritz Gurgiser.

These projects and plans of the Tyrolean provincial government show only one thing: it is not prepared to take the unique topography and the high burdens for local residents into consideration

Fritz Gurgiser, Transitforum

It is about the overall view for the regions Außerfern, Gurgltal, Mieminger Plateau up to the Inn and its side valleys. An information event will be held in Nassereith on May 16. "These projects and plans by the Tyrolean state government only show one thing: they are not prepared to take the unique topography and the high impact on local residents into consideration," says Gurgiser, from whom the politicians could still learn a lot in this regard.

Our experts in the Landhaus estimate that the project will cost more than a billion euros.

SPÖ-Landesrat Zumtobel

The tunnel from Mötz to Biberwier, which was brought up by FP-LA Evelyn Achhorner and could relieve the entire region, is also being ignored by the provincial government. "This would only open up another transit portal to the south," believes René Zumtobel, the responsible Transport Minister, when asked by Krone. He also doubts the reported costs of 500 million euros. "Our experts in the provincial parliament assume more than one billion euros," says SPÖ provincial councillor Zumtobel. He also prefers a rail tunnel through the Fernpass into the Inn Valley anyway.

The provincial councillor ignores the fact that this so-called Unterholzner variant (named after the former head of Alpenstraßen-AG) would save the Tschirgant Tunnel - currently costing almost 350 million euros. Incidentally, this is a geologically very tricky tunnel, also because of the enormous water reserves in the mountain. In contrast to the 11.4 km tunnel variant from Mötz to Biberwier (according to the available geological report).

However, the provincial government is sticking to its plans. Plans that make less and less sense. Especially the 2nd tube of the Lermoos Tunnel - what use are two lanes in each direction over a distance of three kilometers if there is only one lane in front of and behind it? The costs amount to more than 200 million euros.

It will be interesting to see how much longer those in power can afford to play politics against the people. The ÖVP got its first taste of this in the municipal elections in Innsbruck - the slap in the face still reverberates today. The next setback is already inevitable - in the EU elections in June. And then there are the National Council elections in October. The days of unconditional party allegiance and subservience are long gone. It takes its toll when you make policy against the people. Innsbruck was just the beginning. But it is still not forbidden to learn from mistakes and become smarter!