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Naxxar is set to remain in total chaos, as road works in the town centre have been indefinitely halted due to a series of technical issues, to the extent that no specific date could be given as to when an originally planned “re-surfacing” project, could be completed.
Parish Street in Naxxar has been closed to traffic for months, and since then both residents and businesses have been up in arms over the delayed works that have even upset the local traditional feast dedicated to Our Lady of Victories.
A billboard set up just before summer indicated the 31 August as the completion date, however since then this notice has been covered in plastic. In the meantime the detours around the town centre have continued to bring about more disgruntlement and anger from residents and businesses.
Naxxar mayor Maria Fatima Deguara explained to MaltaToday that she and her council are fully aware of the hardships the unfinished works are causing residents and businesses.
“We are doing all we can to see that the project is completed and that all the energy and money spent is well invested,” she said, while adding that what had to be a simple “patching” or “re-surfacing” project, had to become a “full-scale” road re-construction project due to the failing services discovered beneath the road surface.
Maria Fatima Deguara explained that as soon as the trenching works started, Water Services Corporation, Enemalta, Maltacom, Melita Cable and other service operators were involved one after the other in order to upgrade their services.
Now that all the services are laid, there is a highly technical issue that is halting the project and relates to the foundations of the road.
Earth samples from the underlying strata have been sent to the Roads Department, in order to certify the depth of the excavations, and the asphalt mixture required to support the heavy traffic that flows through.
Deguara insisted that she monitors daily all the developments and keeps constant contact with all involved in the project. “I assure residents, businesses, your readers and any other interested parties that I will not just surface the road, but I am duty bound to ensure that the work done is to standard and will not need any further disruptions,” she said.
However, as the testing process is still in its initial stage, the Naxxar mayor cannot commit herself to when the project will be completed. “I cannot tell you when we will be finished, but what I can say is that we are actively doing our utmost to complete the works,” she said.
While works remain unfinished, Naxxar has become a nightmare to enter or exit, as a series of detours lead motorists a long way round the town through winding narrow roads, to then exit through the main road that leads to the church from Lija roundabout.
Many businesses in the area have reported dramatic losses in sales, as clients find it too difficult to park or approach the locality.
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