Workers have started laying the foundations of the new lift to the Upper Barrakka in Valletta.

Chris Paris, CEO of the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation, said excavations started three weeks ago. Workers today started pouring the concrete of the foundations for the free standing lift which will be 53 metres high.

The lift will consist of two cabins, each with a capacity of 21 passengers.

The project, costing €2.5m, will be completed by the end of next year. It is co-funded by the EU.

The next stage of the project will be the laying of reinforced concrete columns to support the lift, since will not be attached to the bastions other than for a passenger bridge.

Architect Stephen Grech, from Innovative Architecture Services, said the foundations contains 110 cubic metres of concrete laid on 25 tons of steel.

The new structure is being built on the same site as the lift which operated between 1905 and 1973. It used to carry up to 12 passengers in each of its two cabins. That lift was dismantled in 1983.

BREAKWATER BRIDGE

Meanwhile, informed sources said that works on the steel fabrication of the bridge which will link Fort St Elmo to the breakwater arm is nearing completion. The bridge is expected to be put in place in the coming weeks, at the culmination of a €2.8m project.

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