Ministry of Infrastructure: “There is no planning for a NOAK section related to the connection between Mesara and the new airport”

The connection of Messara with the New International Airport in Kasteli was requested from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport by Frangiskos Parasiris, Member of Parliament for Heraklion of the PASOK-Movement for Change, reporting to the Department Department of Kastelli (New) Pretoria (Municipality of Archana Asterousia), stressing that at the given time, according to the Development Organization of Crete, there is study maturity for a road 22 km long. A project with a budget of 86 million euros. Addressing the minister, he asked whether he intends to include the specific part of the NOAK for financing, as well as the financial framework that will be included and the time horizon expected for the start of its implementation.

With his statement, Francis Parasiris underlines “the Development Organization of Crete, in its documented response, states that there is no study on the connection of Kasteli with Messara and recognizes the necessity of preparing such a study. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure informs that, on the one hand, in the Airport Concession Agreement there is no provision for connecting the airport with Messara, and on the other hand, it does not answer for its intention to finance a Department of NOAK “Casteli Messaras to Pretoria” for which there are studies”.

The response of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport highlights the fact that in essence the connection of Mesara with the New Airport is not included in the scope of the Concession Agreement.

From the side of the Development Organization of Crete, it is emphasized that there is no study for the connection of Kastelli with Messara. It is typical that O.A.K. points out that for the connection of Protorio with the new Kastelli airport, as far as we know, there is no relevant study, but our Service estimates that it is necessary to draw up an identification study of road construction and a cost-benefit study, in order to technically and economically document the necessity or not of this engraving.

The response of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure

“Within the framework of the Concession Agreement “Design, Construction, Financing, Operation, Maintenance and Exploitation of the New International Airport of Heraklion Crete and Design, Construction and Financing of its road connections”, ratified by law 4612/2019, the road connection is provided for of the New International Airport of Heraklion of Crete with the Heraklion-Viannos Provincial Road at the Uneven Junction of Arkalochori. The Heraklion – Viannos Provincial Road is connected to the Tympaki – Moires – Agioi Deka – Charakas (Pretoria) – Martha Provincial Road, which is also part of the existing Southern Road Axis of Crete, roads that are not included in the contractual scope of the Concession Agreement” .

The response of the Development Organization of Crete

1. “Division of Kastelli (New) Pretoria (Municipality of Archana Asterousia)

This department is in study maturity as part of the study with the title

“Other completion studies of the road axis Ag. Varvara – Ag. Deka – Viannos – Ierapetra – Pachia Ammos, Section: Protoria – Ag. Deka” (Project number: 2023ΝΑ47100135) both the environmental conditions for the subsection “Protoria – Fleets” have been approved (AEPO no. prot. house 2394/1-7 -16 A.D.K./ADA:62ΛΛΟΛ1Θ-MBX) as well as for the sub-section “Fleets – Ag. Ten” (AEPO no. prot 227 BC/21-12-18 A.D.K./ ADA:PSOLIOR1Θ-2ΓG). With regard to the subsection “Protoria – Fleets” the definitive road construction study of an artery, parallel network and level junctions has been approved (prot. no. 293036/22-09-2022 G.D.S.Y.) while for the subsection “Fleets – St. Deka” with the document no. 58/04-01-2024, the final study of road works has been forwarded to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. to be approved.

2. Department Pretoria – Kastelli Airport

For the connection of Protorio with the new airport of Kastelli, as far as we know, there is no relevant study, but our Service estimates that it is necessary to draw up an identification study of road construction and a cost-benefit study, in order to technically and economically document the necessity or not of the marking of this one.

As the construction of the new airport in Kasteli is in progress, the need to connect it with Ierapetra, Viannos, Myrtos and in general with all the regions of southern Crete is considered imperative. With the implementation of the N.O.A.K. whose studies are in progress and concern the section from Pachia Ammos to Ag. The distance and time to approach the new airport from the southern regions is reduced by ten, as otherwise the connection is made via B.O.A.K. with distance and time increasing. Indicatively, it is mentioned that the distance Ierapetra – Kasteli via BOAK is 90.9 km while with NOAK is reduced by 20.80 km (70.1 km) and the corresponding time by at least 17 minutes (from 1 hour 34 minutes to 1 hour 17 minutes).

See the relevant map of the Development Organization of Crete: