[WATCH] Protests stop rural road works in Dingli, Infrastructure Malta says no permit required

Protests stop rural road works in Dingli

A protest by Moviment Graffitti has halted rural road works by Infrastructure Malta, who allegedly started building a road on farmland in Daħla tas-Sienja, in Dingli without any permits.

The NGO said the government agency has been bullying residents and formers once again and is “doing so illegally”.

In September, MEP candiadte Arnold Cassola had shared on Facebook an email from a concerned citizen about the road alignment plans that were being proposed in the locality of Dingli namely to connect Sqaq il-MUSEUM with Dahla tas- Sienja.

“May I point out that with this development no-one stands to gain. With these works not only will the Planning Authority and Infrastructure Malta be sanctioning the destruction of pristine agricultural fields and rooms used for farming purposes but also ancient carob trees all belonging to private tenants,” the person wrote. 

The NGO said that Infrastructure Malta has been bullying farmers

The email claimed that Infrastructure Malta told them that works would proceed without requiring approved plans and permits.

Infrastructure Malta told MaltaToday it was launching the construction of a schemed street connecting Dahla tas-Sienja, Triq San Gwann Bosco and Sqaq il-Museum, in Dingli.

“Residents in Sqaq il-MUSEUM and other nearby areas in Dingli have long been calling for the formation and construction of this schemed road to improve connectivity and to create a safer access to numerous residences, which are currently only accessible through a narrow lane that does not permit firefighting and other emergency vehicles to reach their homes,” a spokesperson for IM said.

The narrow section of Sqaq il-MUSEUM is located within Dingli’s urban conservation area, with old buildings on either side and cannot be widened. “The only way this street can have a safer access is through the opening of the new street connecting it with Dahla tas-Sienja Street and San Gwann Bosco.”

IM said that no development permits are required for the formation of new roads within development zones that are already included as schemed – planned – roads in the Planning Authority’s local plans, as is the case for the new street between Dahla tas-Sienja and Sqaq il-MUSEUM.

“This street, which is approximately 100 metres long, has been schemed to be formed years ago and should have already been built. Owners of land in the area have known about the formation of this road on their lands for many years.”

Infrastructure Malta said it had taken note of the concerns of the area’s residents, including public safety risks due to the restricted access for emergency vehicles, and started talks with the owners and tenants the private and government lands in question, to facilitate the formation of the new street, which will provide improved access to these landowners as well.

“Works are starting in the section of the new street that will be built on government land and will proceed to other areas in the coming months. Eventually, to complete the formation of the road, three trees need to be uprooted or transplanted. They will be replaced with the planting of several other new trees, as per applicable regulations for such requirements.”

Infrastructure Malta ‘exerting unacceptable pressures on residents and farmers’ - Moviment Graffitti

“Infrastructure Malta is yet again exerting unacceptable pressures on residents and farmers in various localities. We have seen similar arrogance in Luqa, Wied Qirda, Tal-Balal, and the Central Link project,” Moviment Graffitti said in a statement Friday afternoon. 

The NGO said that the road alignment would make way for further development in the ODZ area nearby, seeing as the surrounding zones could be developed up to a height of five storeys.

“Infrastructure Malta is causing huge damages to the environment and to our communities through its constant pressure,” Moviment Graffitti said. 

The NGO said the island has witnessed a huge in injustice by the government, armed with heavy machinery.

“We will follow up this issue and we will not shy away from taking whatever action we deem necessary to protect farmers from this continuous bullying,” they said.