MILAN, June 24, 2019 – Koumba, a tunnel-boring machine, is ready to embark on its journey underground Paris to excavate a section of Line 14 South.

Recently lowered into a shaft, the 850-tonne machine’s work on Lot 4 of the line is part of Grand Paris Express, Europe’s most ambitious project of sustainable mobility that will extend its metro and rail network by 200 kilometres and 68 stations at a cost of about €35 billion.  

Its work will be guided by Salini Impregilo and joint-venture partner Nouvelles Générations d’Entrepreneurs (NGE). Salini Impregilo is a global leader in sustainable mobility with its involvement in the world’s biggest metro projects in cities like Copenhagen, Milan, Thessaloniki, Riyadh, Doha and Lima. It is working with NGE on another part of Grand Paris Express: Line 16 to the north of the city centre.

Salini Impregilo’s ability to participate in projects of this kind anywhere in the world will strengthen with Progetto Italia (Project Italy), an industrial operation to consolidate the infrastructure sector in its home market.

Line 14 South, a section for which Salini Impregilo and NGE are responsible, will improve connections and travel times between the Paris Orly Airport and the city centre by linking the airport to Line 18 of the Paris metro and a new one to be called Line 15.

Grand Paris Express is the natural extension of the city’s metro and light rail network. It will connect areas on the periphery with the centre of the French capital, helping them recover economically. It will also improve sustainable mobility, reducing traffic and air pollution as Paris pursues its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.