The project aimed to build two new pedestrian and cyclist tunnels connecting the Tehnika tänav area with Kristiine keskus by taking pedestrians and cyclists beneath the railway embankment. Currently, the pavement runs along the side of the road.

In addition to the tunnels, the project included the reconstruction of surrounding roads and pavements and the construction of nearly 200 metres of new sewer pipeline in cooperation with Tallinna Vesi.

Construction work began on October 22 last year with the installation of Tallinna Vesi's sewer pipeline. All project-related pipelines have now been completed, with the total value of the work carried out amounting to just over €2 million (including VAT).

However, further work encountered significant problems. The City of Tallinn said INF Infra OÜ was unable to get approval from Estonian Railways for tunnel installation methods that would require the closure of the railway.

Tallinn Deputy Mayor Kristjan Järvan (Isamaa) said passenger train service Elron did not want to allow rail traffic to be suspended during the construction work.

"Since the contractor has a construction contract with the City of Tallinn that it is unable to fulfil, we are forced, as the City of Tallinn, to terminate the contract," he said.

Elari Udam, head of Tallinn's Environment and Public Works Department, said the contractor was unable to fulfil its contractual obligations, failed to submit an updated work schedule and an action plan to eliminate the delays, and stated that it was not prepared to build the tunnels at the price agreed in the contract.

Additionally, the contractor indicated the final deadline would need to be pushed back to 2028, missing the 2027 deadline initially agreed upon, the city said.

"Since the contractor failed to submit the required schedule and did not confirm its readiness to continue construction based on the existing project and the contractual price, Tallinn's Environment and Public Works Department decided to terminate the contract due to the contractor's material breaches of contract," Udam said.

Tallinn's Environment and Public Works Department is preparing the next steps so that the Endla tunnel project can continue as quickly as possible and the long-awaited connection between Kristiine and the city centre can still be completed in the future.

Under the original plan, construction of the tunnels was due to be completed in January 2027. The total cost of the tunnel project is €4.2 million (excluding VAT), financed by the City of Tallinn and Tallinna Vesi.

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