“Transition folder” delivered to the new government has only five small works in the district of Braga

The so-called “transition” document, which António Costa’s government handed over to the new prime minister, Luís Montenegro, containing ongoing works or intervention projects, includes only five references to the district of Braga.

Infias node is not mentionedCDU criticizes “right accounts”

Which leads the local mayor, Ricardo Rio, to say to O MINHO: “It’s nothing new. The outgoing Government did little in Braga in these eight years and had almost nothing planned to do”.

The PS/Braga councilor, Artur Feio, regrets the fact, but counters that the municipal executive (PSD/CDS) “has done little or nothing” to demand works from the government. “How is the Nó de Infias project going, the start of which was announced for the end of 2023?”, he asks.

In turn, the representative of the PCP in the council, Vítor Rodrigues regrets that the last governments have disinvested in priority sectors for the lives of citizens, in health, education and housing, and also in public works, “in this case, not only in Braga , but across the country.”

MINHO consulted the document, entitled “Transition Folder” and found that it only includes the D. Diogo de Sousa Archeology Museum (PRR), where three interventions are underway, with a deadline for completion in May 2024.

In this area, there is also the Alberto Sampaio Museum (PRR), in Guimarães, where work is taking place to review the electrical system and lighting of the cloister, installation of an external elevator for universal accessibility and the implementation and review of the fire detection system. And they should be completed in July 2024.

For the so-called ‘cradle city’, the GNR Territorial Post of Lordelo is in the works.

The “folder” also talks about the New Hospital of Barcelos, saying that its “functional profile, financing model and articulation with Hospital de Braga (in definition) are being studied”.

Lastly, and in the railway chapter, he mentions the Linha do Minho, with an intervention that “will reduce travel time and increase railway and road safety, eliminating level crossings, and reinforcing exploration through the installation of a new signaling system and telecommunications”. This intervention – he concludes – will allow the annual daily capacity to be tripled.

Infias node is not mentioned

Regarding the content of the document, socialist Artur Feio accuses the municipal Executive, and in particular the councilor who oversees the public space, Olga Pereira, of “doing nothing” so that the requalification of the Infias Junction – essential to try to put an end to traffic bottlenecks at the entrance to the city – go on: “What happened to the project? The councilor presented it publicly and then said that the work would progress until the end of 2023. And nothing”, he laments, saying that the same will happen with the BRT (Rapid Transport Bus) project, an investment of one hundred million from the PRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan) that is being prepared by TUB (Urban Transport of Braga).

Faced with the PS’s criticism, Olga Pereira responded: “I hope that the change of government will help to unblock the process. I suspect we will finally understand the reasons for the delay at the Infias Node.”

And he counterattacks: “The government’s last investment in the municipality was the Braga Hospital. 20 years ago. Furthermore, the only thing we have are some PRR projects because the government needs execution. From the state budget, zero”

Regarding the alleged delay in starting the work, the councilor emphasizes that, for reasons of traffic flow, “it was never the Council’s intention for the work to progress before the tunnel was completed”. “This has already been said publicly,” she added.

CDU criticizes “right accounts”

Questioned by O MINHO, the PCP mayor says that, unfortunately, the last governments preferred a policy called “certain accounts” to investment in sectors that benefit the population, such as the health, education and housing sectors: “The CDU made proposals in parliament and the PS and PSD failed them”, he laments.

This policy – ​​he emphasizes – extends to public investment in equipment, roads and railways, “disregarding the needs of the population, particularly here in the district”.