Extent of Għeriexem works shows incursion of road-widening into pristine valley

Storm water culverts in Rabat’s Triq Għeriexem will address the problem of flooding in the area, transport minister Ian Borg said while visiting the final stages of a controversial belvedere and road-widening project.

The area has long been prone to water flooding due to the road being built on the edge of the Għeriexem valley.

Borg claimed the works had been “more often than not less appreciated” for the benefit tey would bring to quality of life for the residents of the affected areas.

Trasport minister Ian Borg surveys the Rabat works that will introduce a metre-wide pipeline to better manage stormwater run-off

“We have addressed a problem that was disregarded for a long time and which no one wanted to address. But for us, the safety of the people comes before any other interest. As always, we are committed to ensure that we have another infrastructure project of the highest quality and that it is properly delivered to the residents here,” Borg said.

Infrastructure Malta is now also reinforcing part of the underground stormwater catchment system between Il-Ħaddiem Avenue, Tat-Tabija Road, Għeriexem Road and Għajn Qajjet Road (Mtarfa Bypass).

Through this separate upgrade, the agency is laying out a half-kilometre stretch of new one-metre width pipeline, instead of an older narrower culvert, whilst improving the efficiency of some of the existing catchments. This system will complement the new stormwater system forming part of the Għeriexem Belvedere Project, to channel rainwater from several streets into nearby natural valleys and watercourses.

The Environment and Resources Authority has already warned that the widening of the promenade and carriageway in the Tal-Gheriexem valley in Rabat will impact negatively on fertile agricultural land, despite slight changes to the original plans.

Infrastructure Malta wants to convert the existing road into a “standard single lane carriageway”, apart from embellishment works that will consist of a belvedere on a piling structure inside the Gheriexem Valley.

The NGO Futur Ambjent Wiehed said the proposal does not encourage a shift from one form of transport to another, but simply promotes greater car use by widening the carriageway and providing more parking spaces at the expense of the ecosystems in the area. “While carriageway for cars was increased, the cycle lane was not introduced with the excuse that it would take up more agricultural land… What was the excuse for widening the carriageway then? What great traffic jams were there?”