Laboratory analysis of rock samples collected from core drilling in Floriana and Qormi is underway as part of the initial geotechnical investigations for the La Valette Line. The samples, sent abroad for testing, will provide engineers with essential data on geological conditions for the proposed 24km hybrid rail link. A spokesperson for the Sustainability Mobility Ministry confirmed the tests are “purely technical in nature,” intended to shape detailed planning but not policy decisions. The first phase of the 15-year project, part of the government’s Mobility in Motion plan, will include further core sampling at underground station sites and tunnel sections once the alignment is confirmed.