The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage is worried that works to widen Tal-Balal Road, between Naxxar and San Ġwann, are being carried out with complete disregard to any potential archaeological remains and historic buildings there.
The heritage watchdog also complained it was not allowed to evaluate any possible impact on cultural heritage assets during the “unauthorised” works by State agency Infrastructure Malta.
The superintendence flagged these shortcomings in submissions it made to the Planning Authority.
The €4 million project has been mired in controversy from the very beginning after it transpired that works, which commenced in early August, were being carried out without a development permit.
Read: Tal-Balal project shows authorities' 'disdain' for planning rules - Church Commission
Furthermore, heavy vehicles had entered private land and started excavations without the owners having been notified that their property was expropriated.
Faced by criticism of acting with impunity, Infrastructure Malta defended itself saying it wanted to add two lanes to Tal-Balal Road before the start of the scholastic year.
The project aims to alleviate traffic around Mater Dei Hospital and the University. Yet, the target date was not met and the completion date has now been postponed to next month.
Meanwhile, an application to sanction the works is still pending before the PA.
In its submissions, the heritage watchdog said it was not permitted to make recommendations to mitigate possible threats to buildings of historical value or any remains. Of more concern was the fact that clearing and excavation works “were not subject to archaeological monitoring, which resulted in a threat to cultural features discovered during works”. No further details were given in this regard.
Times of Malta last week asked the superintendence if it had been alerted about any findings or historic buildings that could have been damaged. These enquiries were made after the newspaper was informed about demolition works being carried out in the middle of the night, the discovery of an underground structure and the destruction of an old cistern.
No replies were received from the superintendence at the time of writing.
The superintendence is insisting that even though the project is at an advanced stage, it must be alerted about any findings in line with the Culture Heritage Act and, if need be, the approved plans modified. However, the heritage watchdog is not objecting to the road-widening project notwithstanding the breaches and shortcomings it flagged.
The superintendence has recently been at loggerheads with the government over a plan to construct a new underpass at Santa Luċija. It had taken issue to the fact that a survey for potential archaeological findings in the area, was done without its consent, in breach of the law.