Reinforced concrete, which was laid as part of the reconstruction of the notorious Triq Bontadini in Birkirkara, had to be removed after a few days, when it transpired that the contractor was not following the plan.
This busy thoroughfare adjacent to the Infetti sports complex and the Mrieħel secondary school was in such a poor state, that last year it had even earned the unenviable title as “Malta’s worst road” by a Times of Malta reader.
Despite the dire need to rebuild this road from scratch it was only recently that Transport Malta started work on this long-awaited project, as the Birkirkara council had no funds to rebuild it.
Last week this newspaper reported that the repairs were being carried out as part of government’s pledge to get all of Malta roads in order within seven years. According to a Transport Malta spokesman the project is set to be completed in time for the start of the next scholastic year to minimise traffic disruptions as much as possible.
All progress registered in the last few weeks has gone down the drain, just like the taxpayers’ money used to finance this project
Work included the removal of the existing road surface and underlying materials, the replacement of underground utility services’ pipes and cables, the reinforcement of the road’s foundations and the laying of new asphalt surfaces and other related road structures.
However, residents yesterday contacted this newspaper to express their frustration as well as disbelief, when they learnt that workers were instructed to remove a strip of reinforced concrete at the side of the road, which had been laid a few days before.
“All progress registered in the last few weeks has gone down the drain, just like the taxpayers’ money used to finance this project, but nobody seems to shoulder responsibility” a resident said.
Other residents who vented their frustration on Facebook questioned whether this was a case of bad planning, in view of the fact that the strip of unpaved road in the middle, which was due to be covered with tarmac, was too narrow to allow two-way traffic.
However, a Transport Malta spokesman pointed out that the contractor in charge of the works was asked to modify some of the road’s structures, when the authority’s architects noted that they were not in line with the project plans.
He also insisted that these corrective works would not affect the project timeframes, and would be carried out at the contractor’s expense and not from public funds.