Contractor faces rough ride over roadworks delay

The Transport Minister will be discussing internally what steps can be taken against a contractor over the delay in roadworks at the Telgha t'Alla w'Ommu, in Naxxar.

Works, which started at the beginning of August, were to take around six weeks but, more than eight weeks later, they are not even half finished.

Transport Minister Censu Galea said when contacted that although it was true that the storm of September 15 had hindered the works and caused problems this was no justification for the delay.

Because of the works, the road is closed to traffic bound for Salina as the road is too narrow to allow traffic both ways.

The work involves the removal of the crust of the road to realign its gradient. Sections of the road are being lowered by 1.4 metres.

Work on this section of the road is part of a larger project involving the five kilometre road leading from Salina to Iklin, which started in April 2001.

The road is expected to have a life span of 30 years after which only the surface would need to be replaced.