The Birkirkara area tunnel of the €56 million National Flood Relief Project was this morning unanimously approve by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

The EU will be financing a substantial part of the cost of the 11-kilometre project designed to ease flooding in 12 localities: Balzan, Lija, Attard, Iklin, Birkirkara, Gżira, Msida, Żebbuġ, Qormi, Marsa, Żabbar and Marsascala.

The plan is for an underground tunnel network to relieve these flood-prone areas. The tunnel depth will range from eight to 52 metres.

Several options were considered for flood relief, including culverts and pipes, but this was found to be the most cost effective.

The project will not focus on water conservation as this would not have rendered it cost effective and EU EU funds would have been lost.

However, a number of other projects which can focus on water conservation can be done simultaneously with this project.

Other parts of the project were approved earlier.

The project is being undertaken by the Resources Ministry.

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