1000’s protest plan to construct world’s longest bridge from Sicily to Italy | Protests Information

[ad_1] Residents are against the bridge over its scale, earthquake threats, environmental impact, and mafia interference.

1000's of individuals have marched in Sicily to protest in opposition to a authorities plan to construct a bridge that might join the Italian mainland to the Mediterranean island, and can be the world’s longest single-span bridge.

Some 10,000 demonstrators marched within the Sicilian metropolis of Messina on Saturday to stage their opposition to the 13.5-billion-euro ($15.7bn) infrastructure mission.

Residents are in opposition to the proposed Strait of Messina Bridge mission over its scale, earthquake threats, environmental impact, and potential mafia interference.

The concept to construct the bridge has been debated for many years. This week, nevertheless, it noticed a significant step ahead when a authorities committee overseeing strategic public investments authorised the plan.

Transport Minister Matteo Salvini known as it “the largest infrastructure mission within the West”.

Salvini cited research estimating the mission would create as much as 120,000 jobs yearly and assist stimulate financial progress in lagging southern Italy, as billions extra are invested in surrounding highway and infrastructure enhancements.

Critics, nevertheless, should not satisfied, and angered that about 500 households must be expropriated for the bridge to be constructed. Salvini says such households will probably be compensated.

“The Strait of Messina can’t be touched,” protesters shouted as they marched in Messina. Many carried banners that stated “No Ponte” (No Bridge).

<img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" class="size-arc-image-770 wp-image-3880419" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-08-08T050422Z_1105086332_RC2Z0GA4ZKWH_RTRMADP_3_ITALY-BRIDGE-1754805646.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C514&quality=80" alt="Mariolina De Francesco, 75, sits on a sofa in her house, during an interview with Reuters in Messina, Italy, August 5, 2025. Construction of the suspension bridge connecting Sicily to mainland Italy is expected to be completed by 2032. REUTERS/Yara Nardi" fetchpriority="low"/> Mariolina De Francesco, 75, sits on a settee in her home [File: Yara Nardi/Reuters] “They may supply me 3 times the worth of my home, however that doesn’t matter to me. What issues is the panorama. They have to not contact the Strait of Messina,” Mariolina De Francesco, a 75-year-old resident of Messina whose home lies close to the positioning of one of many bridge’s deliberate 399-metre- (440-yard-)tall land towers, informed The Related Press information company.

“Our attorneys will take motion, and we'll cease them. That’s assured.”

The proposed bridge would span almost 3.7km (2.3 miles) with a suspended part of three.3km (greater than 2 miles). It will surpass Turkiye’s Canakkale Bridge by 1,277 metres (1,400 yards) to change into the longest suspension bridge on the earth.

Preliminary work may start in late September or early October, pending approval from Italy’s Courtroom of Audit. Full development is scheduled to start in 2026, with completion deliberate between 2032 and 2033.

The bridge would cut back the time to cross the strait by ferry, often as much as 100 minutes, to 10 minutes by automotive. Trains would save 2.5 hours in transit time, Salvini stated.

The mission may additionally assist Italy’s dedication to lift defence spending to five % of gross home product (GDP) focused by NATO, as the federal government has indicated it will classify the bridge as defence-related. Italy argues that the bridge would kind a strategic hall for fast troop actions and gear deployment, qualifying it as “security-enhancing infrastructure”.

Environmental teams, nevertheless, have lodged complaints with the European Union, citing issues that the mission would have an effect on migratory birds.

Italy’s president has additionally insisted that the mission stay topic to anti-mafia laws that applies to all large-scale infrastructure initiatives.

<img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" class="size-arc-image-770 wp-image-3880432" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/reuters_689836b8-1754805944.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C578&quality=80" alt="A drone view shows Lake Ganzirri, part of the planned site for the construction of a suspension bridge along the Strait of Messina, connecting Sicily to mainland Italy, with construction expected to be completed by 2032, in Messina, Italy, August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY" fetchpriority="low"/> A drone view reveals Lake Ganzirri, a part of the deliberate web site for the development of a suspension bridge alongside the Strait of Messina, connecting Sicily to mainland Italy, with development anticipated to be accomplished by 2032, in Messina, Italy [File: Yara Nardi/Reuters] [ad_2] Source link