The Government delegate in Barcelona, Pilar Díaz, has announced that 60% of the homes evacuated due to the sinkhole on L9 in Putxet will have returned to normal within a month. Two new buildings will be available for reoccupation in the next two weeks.
Residents of 60% of the homes evacuated due to the sinkhole on line 9 of the metro in the Putxet neighbourhood of Barcelona will be able to return to their homes within a maximum of two weeks, as confirmed this Friday by the Government delegate in the Catalan capital, Pilar Díaz. From Frederic Soler square, Díaz detailed that two of the eight buildings evacuated after the incident that occurred nearly a month ago have already been recovered.
The next step will be the reopening of a third block, located at Rubinstein street 6, which houses 11 homes and 4 commercial premises. Residents of this building will be able to return to their homes next week. A week later, between August 3 and 9, it will be the turn of the residents of the fourth building, located at Sant Gervasi de Cassoles street 54, which has 31 homes and one commercial space.
However, 40% of those affected — about 35 homes — still have no specific return date. Díaz explained that technicians continue to work to ensure the safety of all the buildings, but she cannot yet specify when the remaining four buildings will be available for reoccupation.
Financial Aid for Those Affected
The Government has established a system of advances so that families can cope with the extraordinary expenses arising from the evacuation. Each person will receive 1,200 euros, according to the usual reference index. The first payment will cover the period until August 7, and the second until September 7. Once normality is restored, a final settlement will be made based on the actual evacuation time.
The deadline to apply for this aid ended this Friday, and the regional government assures that it has attended to all families who requested it. Affected merchants, for their part, can access a line of aid from the Catalan Finance Institute (ICF). Díaz estimates that the first payments will arrive before the end of July, that is, next week.
Stabilisation of Buildings and Additional Tests
The General Director of Infrastructures, Ramon Ramírez, who accompanied Díaz during the press conference, has announced the conclusion of the stabilisation phase of the buildings. The technical inspections carried out so far have yielded positive results, allowing for a "cautious optimism," in his words.
However, Ramírez has indicated that additional tests will be carried out on the street, such as surveys and geophysical tests, to verify that the ground has returned to normal conditions. These tests aim to rule out any future risk for the homes and residents.
Municipal Compensation for Those Affected by Construction
In parallel, the full Barcelona City Council unanimously approved an initiative from Junts this Friday that establishes financial compensation and tax bonuses for residents and businesses affected by long-term construction works. The measure will also be applied urgently to those affected by the Putxet sinkhole.
The Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, announced on Thursday a specific support plan for the local businesses, endowed with about 100,000 euros. This plan adds to the regional aid and aims to alleviate the economic impact that the collapse has caused on the neighbourhood's businesses.
Residents still awaiting their return are anxiously waiting for news, while the administrations work to ensure that all evacuees can return to normal as soon as possible. More details about the return schedule for the remaining 40% will be known next week.
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