MOLISE Shorter travelling time to Rome The new railway lines passing through the Molise region will be faster and, above all, safer. The new line, 49 km long, currently under construction between the stations of Rocca d’Evandro and Vairano, could reduce travelling time between Rome and Campobasso by about 20 minutes. Passengers arriving from Termoli on the Adriatic line could go through Venafro to reach the high-speed Rome-Naples line, which is also under construction, more quickly. The Venafro-Vairano stretch, on the other hand, is in need of technological upgrading. Centralised traffic control (CTC) is being installed on the Molise part of the Adriatic line. This is indispensable for railway safety given that double tracking on parts of the line will increase train speeds. Cleaner water A number of schemes have been promoted in an effort to improve water and sewage networks and upgrade the water purification system. As regards water networks, new equipment has been installed and some existing plant improved. This involved 109 projects spread over 136 municipalities in the region. In addition, 108 km of sewer trunk lines and collectors were laid and 74 new sewage plants put into operation, serving a population of 250,000 out of a total of about 330,000. The Pompei of the Dark Ages In the province of Isernia, major rehabilitation has been carried out in the San Vincenzo al Volturno area, an abbatial settlement founded in the Dark Ages and one of the most important monastic institutions of the Carolingian period, described by some as the Pompei of the Dark Ages. The work carried out with European support comprised: an archaeological excavation of the entire area of the San Vicenzo Maggiore Basilica; the restoration of the new Basilica and the bell tower; the establishment of a dissemination centre, and the arrangement of the archaeological site with paths and directions for visitors. The monastic complex extends over an area of about six hectares and receives 6,000 visitors on average in the summertime. MOLISE REGION Via XXIV Maggio, 130 86100 Campobasso - Italia Tel: +39 0874 42 42 91 Fax: +39 0874 45 96 09 E-mail: [email protected] .