Adif has launched a EUR 102.54 million tender for the adaptation and modernization of the tunnels on Madrid’s C-5 line, one of Spain’s busiest urban rail routes, carrying approximately 72 million passengers annually.
The project aims to increase safety levels, particularly during tunnel evacuations, by modernizing the infrastructure and implementing new civil protection and security systems.
It should be noted that in April, Spain’s railway infrastructure manager launched a tender for the installation of modern signaling systems for a section of the C-5 line.
Enhanced safety in underground infrastructure
The work will be carried out in the Atocha–Las Águilas, Méndez Álvaro, Doce de Octubre, and Puente Alcocer tunnels without disrupting train service. The work includes both civil engineering modifications and the installation of modern safety, evacuation, lighting, and communications systems.
To streamline execution, the project is organized as an integrated effort, so that infrastructure and safety works are coordinated simultaneously, reducing implementation time and avoiding interference between phases.
The overall plan for the modernization of the C-5 line has a total value of EUR 1.35 billion, of which EUR 650 million is allocated directly to infrastructure work carried out by Adif, with the remainder earmarked for the acquisition of rolling stock and the modernization of workshops.
In the Atocha–Las Águilas tunnel, 12 new emergency exits, safety zones, and additional ventilation systems will be built. In Méndez Álvaro, a new emergency exit and several refuge areas are planned, and in Doce de Octubre and Puente Alcocer, new safety areas and evacuation routes will be created.
Modern LED lighting, communications, intrusion detection, CCTV, fire hydrants, and robust evacuation infrastructure will be installed in all tunnels to improve response times in the event of an incident.
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