The Green Party’s lead candidate for the upcoming state election in Baden-Württemberg, Cem Özdemir, has launched a scathing critique of the persistent delays plaguing the Stuttgart 21 rail project, branding the situation “cynical” and indicative of a fundamentally flawed undertaking. The project, already mired in controversy and cost overruns, faces yet another postponement, with rail chief Evelyn Palla reportedly informing the supervisory board and project partners on Wednesday that the planned December 2026 opening will not be met.
Özdemir’s comments highlight a deep frustration with the project’s incremental, piecemeal progress, which he termed a “constant salami tactic” that is proving unsustainable and inflicting unacceptable disruption to passengers. He acknowledged the collaborative efforts undertaken in recent months to mitigate impacts, but asserted that these efforts now appear to have been rendered obsolete. “This project is a bottomless pit” he declared, signaling a potential shift in Green Party strategy should they gain influence in the upcoming election.
Internal analyses conducted both before and after Palla’s appointment – reportedly involving consultancy firm PwC – had previously flagged significant risks to the original timeline. The latest setback stems from technical issues related to the “Digital Junction Stuttgart” a key pilot project aiming to digitize rail signaling and control systems in the Stuttgart region. Central to this digital infrastructure is technology supplied by Japanese conglomerate Hitachi, whose equipment is currently facing hurdles in obtaining required approvals and clearances.
The recurring delays and mounting costs have reignited the debate surrounding the project’s overall viability and the transparency of decision-making processes. Critics argue that the project’s complexity, coupled with a lack of coordination between various stakeholders – including the state government, Deutsche Bahn and Hitachi – has exacerbated the problems. The absence of a revised opening date raises questions about the level of realistic planning and risk assessment within Deutsche Bahn. Furthermore, it exposes vulnerabilities in Germany’s critical infrastructure development and its reliance on foreign technology providers, potentially triggering a broader political review of national infrastructure procurement policies.