in PolandA railway tunnel under construction in the city of Lodz could become one of the largest civilian shelters in the country, but final decisions on its adaptation to emergency situations are still lacking, writes the Money.pl portal.
According to the portal, this tunnel, according to experts, could provide shelter for more than 30 thousand people. However, despite the huge potential, final decisions on the adaptation of the infrastructure have not yet been made.
"The National Audit Office (NIK) noted in its 2024 report that Poland's current safe houses are capable of protecting less than 4 percent of the population. This shows a clear need for such facilities in the country," Money.pl writes.
The construction company PBDiM from Minsk Mazowiecki, which is carrying out the construction work, claims that, based on an analysis by specialists from the Polish Military Academy (WAT), additional investments of PLN 100 million to PLN 600 million would allow the tunnel to be adapted for civil protection purposes. However, there is no final decision on additional investments yet.
"The Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration is considering financing the adaptation of infrastructure facilities from the Public Security and Civil Protection Modernization Fund. However, specific decisions regarding the Łódź Tunnel depend on local authorities, which are awaiting the completion of construction and a detailed assessment of the situation," emphasizes the Money.pl portal.
The situation in Lodz reflects the general state of Poland's civil protection infrastructure - although interest in it has been growing recently, real solutions and tangible results are still to be seen.
