The Superintendency of the Environment (SMA) applied two large fines to Metro, which amount to more than one billion pesos. This, due to various complaints in the construction works and the operation of lines 3 and 6.
According to La Segunda, after two sanctioning processes against the entity, where various complaints were received from residents and mayors of the affected communes, the fines were materialized and issued.
One of these complaints received by the Superintendence of the Environment is due to annoying noises throughout the day, due to the construction works of the underground train lines. These sounds were denounced by “12 condominiums, buildings, and the mayors of Providencia, San Miguel and La Reina from 2013 to 2017”, thus establishing a fine of 1,006 Annual Tax Units, which is equivalent to $662 million.
The charges that Metro is accused of have to do with the non-compliance with noise mitigation measures in the Plaza de Armas, problems in the construction processes and unannounced archaeological finds.
On the other hand, the second sanctioning process is due to the vibrations generated by the passage of the subway on line 6, where “eight complaints of condominium of buildings, houses and neighbors of Providencia, Ñuñoa and Pedro Aguirre Cerda were received, mainly in 2018”, which resulted in another fine of 612 Annual Tax Units, equivalent to $403 million pesos.
From Metro, they assured that they were aware of the complaints and raised the possibility of responding to the Superintendency of the Environment, assuring that they have “permanently complied with the vibration standard established in the Environmental Qualification Resolution.”
It should be noted that the entity has a period of five working days to claim against the environmental determination and 15 to appeal before the Environmental Court of Santiago.
