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L11 halted by Defence, complicating the southern connection
The extension of L11 of Metro towards the southwest of Madrid has encountered an unexpected obstacle. An unfavourable report from the Ministerio de Defensa is complicating the planned progress towards Cuatro Vientos and is forcing the Comunidad de Madrid to study alternatives to maintain the promised connection.
The blockage affects one of the major mobility projects for the coming years. L11 is set to become a major diagonal Metro line, able to link the south and east of the city with new interchanges, growing neighbourhoods, and areas that currently rely heavily on cars or journeys with several transfers.
The problem is concentrated on the section towards Cuatro Vientos. The Ministerio de Defensa considers that the proposed route affects land of military interest, which prevents the Comunidad de Madrid from moving forward with the planned solution in that area.
The regional government maintains that it is not abandoning the project. The councillor for Housing, Transportes e Infraestructuras, Jorge Rodrigo, has stated that Metro de Madrid and the Comunidad de Madrid will intensify studies to find an alternative route that allows the final objective to be maintained.
The extension of L11 is no minor undertaking. The full plan aims to create a corridor of around 33 kilometres and 20 stations between Cuatro Vientos y Valdebebas, a connection designed to change how people travel between neighbourhoods that currently have no direct Metro link.
While the conflict is being resolved, residents in the south remain dependent on an infrastructure they have long awaited. In areas such as Carabanchel, La Fortuna, Cuatro Vientos, or neighbourhoods near the planned corridor, any delay means longer journeys and fewer real alternatives to private transport.
The standoff between administrations adds uncertainty to a project that is already transforming other parts of the city. Works on L11 are progressing in sections such as Comillas, Madrid Río, and the area around Conde de Casal, where the future line promises new links with the centre and with other modes of transport.
The big question now is whether Madrid will be able to keep to the schedule and ambition of L11 without the planned route towards Cuatro Vientos. The answer will shape the future of a line intended to ease daily commutes, connect historically less well-served neighbourhoods, and give a metropolitan sense to a network that continues to grow.