PP Demands Acceleration of State Aid for DANA in Utiel

Vicent Mompó criticizes central government bureaucracy and the slow recovery of key infrastructure like the C3 line.

Generic image of damaged roads undergoing reconstruction.
IA

Generic image of damaged roads undergoing reconstruction.

The provincial president of the PP, Vicent Mompó, has called on the central government to reduce bureaucracy for aid destined for municipalities affected by the DANA, warning that reconstruction cannot become an "eternal bureaucracy".

During a visit to Utiel, Mompó, accompanied by the Deputy Secretary of Autonomous and Municipal Policy of the PP, Elías Bendodo, toured areas affected by the flood of October 29, 2024. He lamented that, a year and a half after the catastrophe, essential infrastructure has still not been fully recovered.
Among the pending infrastructures, Mompó cited the C3 train line, which still does not complete its route to Utiel, also affecting Requena and Siete Aguas. He criticized that Minister Óscar Puente's announcements regarding the electrification and duplication of the line have not materialized and lack clear deadlines.
In contrast, Mompó highlighted the actions of the Valencia Provincial Council, of which he is also president, which has allocated over 7.5 million euros to Utiel for reconstruction, with more than 80% already executed.
For his part, Elías Bendodo defended the work of the Utiel City Council, the Provincial Council, and the Generalitat, accusing the central government of creating a "bottleneck" that hinders reconstruction. He called for commitments to Utiel, its roads, and trains, as well as administrative streamlining to invest funds and accelerate payments to those affected.
The mayor of Utiel, Ricardo Gabaldón, pointed out that many works still remain to be executed and defended the work carried out by the municipality since the DANA, expressing conviction in the effort made.
The visit also focused on the situation of pending railway connections, especially the C3 line, which depends on state bodies such as Adif. The criticisms were made by leaders of the Partido Popular.