Bus terminus upgrading

The second phase of the upgrading of the bus terminus at City Gate, Valletta, is now complete, with the third and final phase scheduled to start after carnival and the referendum.

The project was yesterday visited by Infrastructure Minister Francis Zammit Dimech.

The first phase involved, literally, laying the groundwork for the project, including routing of pipes and ducts for Enemalta, Maltacom and Melita Cable.

The second phase involved replacing the road surface, better parking bays designed to cope with the new, wider buses, new lighting poles, and better drainage, on one side of the terminus.

Replacing the drainpipes turned out to be a costly job. Dr Zammit Dimech said the old drainpipes had been fixed onto the bastion walls leading into the moat and were unsightly as well as damaging the stonework. As the sewage is now being diverted underground, the pipes are no longer required. Their removal will cost Lm200,000.

Extensive work to make the kiosks more aesthetically pleasing was carried out with the dangerous ones being demolished.

The public conveniences are also being partly demolished and rebuilt.

Dr Zammit Dimech said the third phase would tackle the other side of the terminus.