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Residents left furious by plans to build a new €700 million (£611 million) railway line between Majorca's capital, Palma, and Llucmajor on the south coast have rallied together and will hold protests. DECA, a group that has brought together locals, said it is standing for "defence of the citizen against abuses," with the group's president criticising the Balearic Government's plans to send the route right through their homes and farmland.

According to Joan Gil, the Balearic Ministry of Mobility "hasn't accepted any of our submissions, even those where the route passes through homes and agricultural plots. Responses made to the collective objections are a copy and paste of the ones sent to individuals, even though the content is different. We are very hurt and indignant at the lack of sensitivity they've shown, because they don't respond to our requests and they don't have the slightest interest in being empathetic."

The Balearic Government revealed its new project from Palma to Llucmajor, which will also stop at Palma airport, last year. The project's estimated cost was € 700 million at the time, and it is scheduled for completion by 2032. The Balearic Islands' President, Marga Prohens, stated that the route will be 17 miles long, with 4.5 miles of it running underground.

The route will pass through several densely populated neighbourhoods, including Son Oliva, Son Fortesa, Can Capes, Son Gotleu and Coll d'en Rebassa. The government estimated that millions of tourists would use the route annually and hoped it would help reduce traffic gridlock on key roads.

However, Joan Gil described the Balearic Government's responses to their concerns as "unethical", adding that the project itself was "a disgrace".

Those affected by the planned line submitted an environmental report highlighting, among other concerns, the number of homes directly affected, the fragmentation of agricultural plots and the impact on protected habitats and species.

"The fragmentation of properties would have a severe impact on the productive and social structure of the area," the report read. "Many of the affected properties are family farms with a territorial organisation that would be irreversibly altered, hindering access to the plots, livestock or agricultural management, and increasing the risk of abandoning traditional economic activities."

However, Joan Mas, the head of the mobility and transport engineering department, said its environmental analysis "was carried out thoroughly and rigorously, taking into account the reports issued by administrative bodies, among others".

The Palma-Llucmajor is one of several rail projects planned by the Balearic Government. A line from Sa Pobla to Alcudia in the north of Majorca is estimated to be operational in 2031 and has also generated strong local opposition. A third project, albeit of lesser priority, is the Manacor to Arta route, for which there is no opposition, as basic infrastructure already exists.