Construction Starts on Marconi-Lingotto Section of Turin's MetroOn Monday 8th January, 2007 construction of section 2 Marconi-Lingotto on the Porta Nuova-Lingotto section of Turin's driverless metro line 1 began with the relocation of public utilities. GTT (Gruppo Torinese Trasporti) is responsible for the design, construction and management of the project.Line 1 is currently in service between Fermi station in Collegno and XVIII Dicembre station (11 stations, 7.2 km) and opening of an extension to Porta Nuova is scheduled this year. This will add four more stations and 2.2 kilometres. Click here and here.Section Porta Nuova-Lingotto stretches 3.7 km, travels entirely underground and includes six stations. Civil works have been divided in two main contracts. Lot 1 from Porta Nuova to Marconi, already under construction by a JV of Lauro and Cogefa, requires to bore a 600 m-long tunnel using both traditional methods and the cut-and-cover technique to build a rectangular box. Lot 2 between Marconi and Lingotto (3.1 km), where preparatory works are just commencing, includes six stations and five intermediate shafts and will be built by TBM. Lot 2 has been awarded to a JV of Maire and Ghella for EUR100 million. Construction will last 30 months. Click it/26. Visit www.maireengineering.it and www.ghella.comThe civil works contractor is also in charge of arranging provisions for equipment of the stations, including escalators and lifts, and for finishing works (platform screen doors, escalators and lifts, bored holes, secondary niches to house equipment accessories, etc.) as well as the provisions necessary for protection from stray currents, and earth grounding of the structures and equipment. The assignment also includes the construction of a siphon tank for waste water discharge from stations and drainage shafts.The assignment does not include the finishing works in the stations, intermediate shafts, tunnel and system outfit, which will be the object of a separate contract. Visit www.metrotorino.it to read the latest updates about construction, with timeline and construction methods. 03/07.