There’s been a lot going on in the Munich editorial office for weeks. The city is buzzing with events and energy in midsummer, the corona numbers are rising again significantly and constantly, important decisions are still being made in city politics before the break in meetings during the holidays. A full schedule in July is known from the past few years, albeit somewhat slowed down recently due to the pandemic. But this year there is also the debacle with the second S-Bahn main line, the largest and most important infrastructure project in Munich for decades. It was well known that there were problems with the planning, that construction was progressing slowly, that building permits had not yet been issued in the East. But the fact that the construction period is to be extended by nine years to 2037 and that the costs are to almost double from 3.8 to 7.2 billion euros has caused a great stir. Not just in politics. But especially there.
At the end of June, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing from the FDP broke up a conversation in the Bavarian State Chancellery when it became known the day before that the problems with the construction of the second trunk line should also be discussed. Deutsche Bahn is still bricking like hell. The state government grumbles and scolds in the direction of Berlin. The opposition in the state parliament is strongly against Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) and his Minister of Transport Christian Bernreiter (CSU), who had made the fatal numbers public. The Greens would like to fill up the pit at Marienhof and stop construction, the majority wants to see the project through. But everyone is wondering who is going to pay for the good seven billion, which will hardly remain the case due to inflation and the long construction period.
My colleague Klaus Ott and I were able to put this crucial question to the man who is supposed to contribute most of the sum on Thursday evening. Shortly before half past seven, Federal Transport Minister Wissing’s tile opened up on our screens. The minister took about an hour to explain what role he sees the federal government playing in the construction of the second trunk line, what the state of Bavaria has to do and why he canceled the meeting with Söder and Transport Minister Bernreiter at short notice. Of course we also took the opportunity to ask him one or two basic questions about the state of Deutsche Bahn. Wissing has a clear opinion, and not only on this point. He doesn’t want to have much to do with the construction of the main route, but he wants to do what is legally required and possible when it comes to subsidies. Some people in Bavaria will breathe a sigh of relief, even if that might be a bit premature.
More will not be revealed read it (SZ Plus).
THE DAY IN MUNICH
Parents do not agree to increase in contribution – day care center fires two-year-olds Because the couple does not respond to an email within four weeks, the facility terminates the child’s place and allocates it to others.
Dangerous nonchalance of scooter riders The number of e-scooter accidents has tripled in the past year. During a safety training session, the Klinikum Rechts der Isar explains what risks the speedsters pose and how best to deal with them.
Why the Hofpfisterei bakes fewer types of bread The Hofpfisterei is reducing its range to save gas. Boss Nicole Stocker explains why the tap is turned off first when the bakery stops delivering and what else you could buy from the bakery in an emergency.
Who is considered poor in Munich The city has recalculated the amounts below which households are officially classified as at risk of poverty. For those who live alone, the threshold is now 1540 euros net per month. What does that mean for citizens?
Germs in the Maria Einsiedel natural pool The outdoor pool in Thalkirchen has to close temporarily. It is still unclear when it can open again.
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