Milan, Lombardy, Italy – April 8, 2026 – The ambitious Milan-Seregno metro-tram line, a project eagerly awaited by commuters for over two decades, is facing an uncertain future. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT) has rejected requests for an additional 120 million euros to cover cost overruns, leaving the project in serious jeopardy and sparking strong criticism from local authorities and public transport user associations.
Ministry Rejects Additional Funding, Citing Prior Contributions
The decision from Rome, delivered just before Easter, has been described as a “slap in the face” to the Metropolitan City of Milan and the Brianza region. The MIT’s stance is firm: “We have already contributed in the past to the realization of the project with 128 million and 530 thousand euros. Regarding the critical issues that local administrators have exposed, including extra costs, delays, and the real feasibility of the work, it should be noted that the implementing body is the Metropolitan City of Milan and that delays and problems that have led to an increase in costs are not attributable to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.”
This position threatens to be the final blow for an infrastructure project that has been in the pipeline for over twenty years, with construction already underway but progressing slowly.
Commuters Express “Great Disappointment”
The Public Transport Users Association (Utp) has voiced its “great disappointment” with the Ministry’s decision. “No one has attributed responsibility to the Ministry for the delays and problems that the work is experiencing, but we would have expected an offer of collaboration in response to the request for help from local authorities,” stated a representative from Utp. The association emphasizes that only the state possesses the financial capacity to address such substantial costs.
Meeting Scheduled for Affected Municipalities
In response to the escalating crisis, the Metropolitan City of Milan has scheduled a new meeting for April 14 with the mayors of the municipalities directly affected by the metro-tram line. These include Milan, Bresso, Cormano, Cusano Milanino, Paderno Dugnano, Nova Milanese, Desio, and Seregno. The purpose of the meeting is to assess the situation and explore potential solutions, though the 120 million euro shortfall currently appears to be an insurmountable obstacle.
Disparity in Treatment Raises Concerns
The Utp has also highlighted a perceived “disparity in treatment” when comparing the Milan-Seregno project with the revitalization of the Milan-Limbiate line. “Following a request for intervention from local authorities, on February 13, 2024, the Ministry allocated over 88 million euros to cover the extra costs of materials for the Milan-Limbiate line. Now, we find ourselves in the same situation for the Milan-Seregno, with work already in progress and a sum of the same order of magnitude, given that we learn from press reports that 30 of the 120 million needed would already be available,” the association noted.
Commuters find it “completely incomprehensible that there is this refusal to collaborate with local authorities who certainly do not have the spending capacity to face such costs, especially the municipalities. Only the State can intervene for sums of this magnitude, as happened in 2024. Even more so when much more money has been allocated for the extension of the M5 from Milan to Monza, with work not yet started and with many uncertainties about the start date of the construction sites.”
Call for Collaboration to Avert “Disaster”
The Utp hopes that “the MIT will change its position on the matter and initiate a path of collaboration. The alternative is a disaster for our territory, and passing the buck will not help to avoid it.” The association stresses the critical need for state intervention to prevent the complete collapse of a project vital for regional connectivity and sustainable transport.
The ongoing delays and financial uncertainties surrounding the Milan-Seregno metro-tram line underscore the challenges in delivering large-scale infrastructure projects, particularly when faced with unexpected cost increases and a lack of clear funding commitments from central government bodies. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the fate of this long-awaited transport link.
Source: https://www.ilgiorno.it/milano/cronaca/metrotranvia-seregno-fei0p9j9
