France urges Italy to make quick decision on Alpine rail tunnel

FILE PHOTO: The entrance of the tunnel of a high-speed train line, known as TAV (Treno Alta Velocita) is seen in Saint-Martin-de-la-Porte, France, November 13, 2018. REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - France pressed Rome on Friday to make swift decisions on an Alpine rail tunnel, one of Europe's most ambitious engineering projects that is threatening to tear apart Italy's populist coalition government.

A 2,400-tonne boring machine is working around the clock more than 1,000 metres (3,000 feet) below ground on the French side of the border, even as Rome threatens to pull the plug as it reviews the 8.6 billion euro (7.54 billion pounds) project.