Madrid, December 24 – The Community of Madrid has approved a substantial increase in the budget for the future Metro Line 9 station at Los Ahijones, a key development for the burgeoning urban areas of Los Ahijones and Los Berrocales in the capital’s southeast. The decision, announced during the final Governing Council meeting of 2025, aims to make the contract more attractive to bidders following two unsuccessful tender processes.
Budget Soars to Over €800,000
The new contract for drafting the project now stands at 825,800 euros, a considerable jump from the 291,501 euros (352,717 euros including taxes) initially offered in 2024. The execution period for the project draft is set at 14 months.
The regional Ministry of Housing, Transport, and Infrastructure justified this significant increase by citing the incorporation of a new European regulation. This regulation mandates a common method for evaluating any network modification, requiring its integration from the design phase. “This requirement,” the Ministry stated, “entails an increase of the initial budget by 328,600 euros.”
However, the need for a budget increase was foreshadowed in September when Jorge Rodrigo, the Minister of Housing, Transport, and Infrastructure, indicated that the offer would be raised to prevent a third failed tender.
Previous Attempts Unsuccessful
The project faced initial hurdles in February 2024 when no companies submitted bids for the project’s drafting. Seven months later, in September of the same year, the Community re-tendered the contract through a non-advertised procedure. Although three invited companies submitted offers, the contracting board deemed them non-compliant with the established instructions or conditions, leading to the second declaration of a failed tender.
Crucial Infrastructure for New Developments
Both the Community of Madrid and the compensation boards of Los Ahijones and Los Berrocales consider this Metro station project vital. The future station is a significant selling point for the 41,000 new homes projected for these developments, with the first deliveries expected between 2026 and 2027.
A notable advantage of this station’s construction is that Line 9 trains already operate in the area, and crucially, they do so on the surface. These are the trains extending Line 9 to Arganda del Rey. Therefore, the intervention primarily involves adding a new stop between Puerta de Arganda and Rivas Urbanizaciones on an already operational, above-ground section.
Strategic Location and Connectivity
The planned station will be situated at the southern end of Los Ahijones, bordering the northern part of Los Berrocales. Both developments will also be traversed by the “Gran Vía del Sureste,” a planned 16-kilometer boulevard that will connect them to El Cañaveral, Los Cerros, and Valdecarros, extending to Ensanche de Vallecas. This boulevard will also feature a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, utilizing reserved lanes and traffic light priority.
2029 Target for Operational Status
Once the project drafting contract, authorized today by the Governing Council, is awarded, the selected company will have 14 months to deliver the plans. Subsequently, the construction phase will commence. The Community of Madrid estimates that the new Metro station could be operational by 2029.
Source: epe.es
