The Valletta ditch project is being resurrected, with the government finalising plans to embellish this eyesore of an area.

“The intention is to restore City Gate bridge, the adjacent old railway bridge and landscape the area,” an Infrastructure Ministry spokeswoman told the Times of Malta, without giving details of the plans.

“Tenders will be published once the planning process is concluded,” she said.

In July 2013, the newly elected Labour administration shelved plans to turn this prominent part of the capital into a garden, citing lack of funds.

The new elevator’s surroundings are akin to a construction site.

Designed by world renowned architect Renzo Piano, it was to be an integral part of the Valletta City Gate project, which was completed last May with the inauguration of the new Parliament building.

The ministry said yesterday that the ditch embellishment project was no longer in the hands of Mr Piano’s architecture firm.

“It is to be noted that Renzo Piano Building Workshop is being consulted on the way forward, notwithstanding the fact that the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation [responsible to oversee the completion of works] is engaging local architects,” the ministry said. The spokeswoman added that GHRC was handling all the necessary processes in order to finalise the plans.

[attach id=477826 size="large"]The City Gate ditch, which is crying out for a revitalisation. Photos: Darrin Zammit Lupi[/attach]

Two years ago, faced with a public outcry against the decision to shelve the City Gate garden, Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi blamed the previous administration, saying that the €80 million Piano project was already running well over budget. The government stood to save €1.8 million by putting the garden on hold.

A few months later, while inspecting works at City Gate in a brief visit to Malta, Mr Piano himself questioned the change of plans, remarking that the proposed garden “was very important to the project”.

A few weeks later he submitted fresh plans, fuelling hopes that the government might reconsider its decision. Soon afterwards, the ministry said the new designs would be evaluated in conjunction with another proposal.

Though the garden never materialised, a lift linking the ditch to the capital’s entrance was nevertheless completed in recent weeks. Served by an elegant Gozo stone staircase, the stylish elevator contrasts sharply with its surroundings, which are akin to a derelict construction site.

Vehicular access to the ditch was closed between 2010 and February this year, when it was reopened for use by employees of the National Statistics Office.

However, the government insisted it was just a “temporary” measure to improve access to the other side of the capital. It said the works would not “prejudice” further embellishment of the ditch because its development was still under consideration.