Starting this Thursday, Adif will assist the residents of Vallbona in a space provided by the Barcelona City Council following the incident on Wednesday during the underground works of the R2 line.
The railway manager Adif has set up an information point for the residents of the Vallbona neighbourhood in the Nou Barris district after the sinkhole that occurred yesterday during the underground works of the R2 line tracks. The space, provided by the Barcelona City Council, is located at the Casal de Barri de Vallbona, at number 8 Oristà Street, and will be open to the public from Monday to Friday from 5 PM to 7 PM.
On Wednesday, July 22, around two in the afternoon, the Barcelona Fire Department received a report of ground subsidence near the works that Adif is carrying out in the Plaza del Primer de Mayo, where the railway line is being buried. Firefighters and Urban Guard units, as well as the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni; Deputy Mayor Laia Bonet; and the Nou Barris district councillor, Xavier Marcè, along with municipal technicians, attended the site to assess the situation.
From the new information point, Adif technicians will assist residents who wish to resolve any doubts regarding the incident and the current status of the works. The City Council has provided the space in the community centre to facilitate direct communication between the company and the residents. The hours have been set in the afternoons to accommodate the availability of the residents.
The sinkhole occurred in an area where Adif is carrying out the underground works of the R2 tracks, a project that has generated anticipation and concern among Vallbona residents due to the inconveniences and associated risks. Although the incident yesterday did not result in personal consequences, it has heightened community anxiety. Local authorities have assured that all necessary safety measures are being taken and that there will be thorough monitoring of the works.
Councillor Xavier Marcè has stated that the priority is to ensure the safety of individuals and transparency in information. In statements made during his visit to the site, Marcè indicated that the public will be kept informed of any developments and that the information point is a demonstration of the administrations' commitment to the residents.
For its part, Adif has confirmed that technicians are evaluating the causes of the subsidence and that control measures at the site will be reinforced. The company has apologised for the inconveniences and has assured that it will work to restore normalcy as soon as possible. The undergrounding of the R2 is a key infrastructure for mobility in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, and any incident directly impacts train users and residents of nearby areas.
Residents of Vallbona have expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of prior information and their fear of similar incidents occurring again. The residents' association has requested an urgent meeting with Adif and the City Council to learn about the project details and safety guarantees. The information point opened today aims to be the first channel of response to these demands.
The opening hours, from 5 to 7 PM, are designed to facilitate residents' attendance after their workday. The Casal de Barri de Vallbona is a well-known and accessible space in the neighbourhood, allowing for close attention without the need for long commutes. Adif has assigned qualified technical personnel to answer questions about the status of the works, expected timelines, and corrective measures that will be adopted.
The Barcelona City Council has reiterated its commitment to safety and transparency and has offered collaboration to Adif to manage communication with residents. Deputy Mayor Laia Bonet has emphasised that continuous monitoring of the situation will be carried out and that any developments will be promptly communicated. Meanwhile, the underground works continue under supervision, aiming to minimise inconveniences and ensure safety.
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