Ħal Resqun catacombs outside airport to remain undisturbed as major road project gets underway

The Ħal Resqun catacombs situated near the site of the Kirkop Tunnels and Intersection project (KTAIP) will not be distrupted during the works, Infrastructure Malta said.

The agency said that the plans and method statements for the project were drafted in collaboration with the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, to ensure that the archaeological remains are left undisturbed during the excavation works.

Georadar scans will be conducted on the site to check for any further burial remains, while the the will be later dusted and surveyed before works take place on site.

Further measures will be taken in order to preserve the catacombs near the roundabout, during and after construction, the agency said.

“The KTAIP works started with excavations along the sides of the existing roundabout bypass lanes and will extend to other areas in the coming weeks,” Infrastructure Malta stated.

Visiting the works that have just begun on site, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg said that the €18 million investment will facilitate routes leading to Malta International Airport and the Freeport.

“This is a project which will improve both the safety and quality of our roads. We will strive to provide the public with what they have chosen and voted for,” he added.

The flyover project in the area had been announced in 2019 in the hopes of catering for alternative means of transport while taking into account ITS students and MIA workers passing through the area regularly.

The project will see the construction of tunnels beneath the airport roundabout to ensure smooth traffic flow between Hal Far and Luqa, while an overpass will facilitate the flow of cars towards the Kirkop tunnels.