Porto, Sept. 18, 2025 (Lusa) - The expropriations for the high-speed railway line between Porto and Oiã (Oliveira o Bairro), will be urgent, according to the concession contract.
"All expropriations carried out directly or indirectly as a result of the Concession are of urgent public utility," reads the concession contract signed by Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) and the AVAN Norte consortium (formerly LusoLav: Mota-Engil, Teixeira Duarte, Alves Ribeiro, Casais, Conduril and Gabriel Couto), published on Wednesday on the Base public procurement portal.
According to the contract, worth more than €1.6 billion, the concessionaire is responsible, among other things, for "conducting and carrying out the expropriation processes" as the "expropriating entity on behalf of the State", bearing "all the inherent costs" and "paying the indemnities or other compensation resulting from the expropriations", taking into account "what is established in the EIS [Environmental Impact Statement] and the DCAPE [Decision on the Environmental Conformity of the Execution Project]".
The concessionaire also undertakes, "along with the owners of the expropriated properties and in the presence of a representative of the Grantor [IP], to draw up the demarcation records for each expropriated parcel and to demarcate the land", done "with land demarcation markers indicating 'Património do Estado' or 'PE'".
In terms of the concessionaire's social and environmental responsibility and relations with the population and other stakeholders, the concessionaire is obliged to "ensure the dissemination and management of communication at the different stages of the project" and have a communication plan.
It also has to "maintain an up-to-date website with all relevant information for the public, namely on the course of the works and the respective impacts and minimisation measures", and "ensure the effective and timely provision of clarifications to public and private entities, the media and the population regarding the Concession, the progress of the works and relevant issues".
It will also have to maintain "at least one fixed service centre at Campanhã Station and an itinerant service centre that travels to the other municipalities it crosses", including "an exhibition on the project, service, personalised and relevant information on the Concession, including on the expropriation process", and also "create a free telephone hotline where relevant information on the concession is made available".
It is also obliged to "publicise in advance, in the national and local media, and by means of information delivered to letterboxes" about activities that may cause inconvenience, and also to produce a bi-monthly newspaper "with information on the progress of the work, for distribution in the letterboxes of residents in the areas close to the line".
It also has to "promote and facilitate meetings, public information sessions and visits to the site by public and private organisations, residents in areas close to the line and the local and national media, whenever justified", as well as carrying out satisfaction inquiries with residents and potential affected parties.
The AVAN Norte consortium is analysing 130 demolitions in Vila Nova de Gaia. It plans to submit the project's public report this month, an administrator told Lusa, with a public presentation planned for September.
This section also crosses the municipality of Porto and, in the Aveiro district, Espinho, Ovar, Santa Maria da Feira, Albergaria-a-Velha, Estarreja, Oliveira de Azeméis, Aveiro, and Oliveira do Bairro.
The high-speed line will connect Porto and Lisbon in one hour and 15 minutes, with possible stops in Gaia, Aveiro, Coimbra and Leiria.
JE/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
