‘A Travesty Of Justice’: Activists Call Out Central Link Project Starting Even Though Appeal Is Underway
A Maltese NGO has condemned Infrastructure Malta for “bulldozing ahead” with the €55 million Central Link Project even though the Court of Appeal has not yet decided on the case.
Members of BAG condemned the launch of the project, which began with excavation works today, as a “travesty of justice as stakeholders’ rights cannot reasonably be respected if fields are asphalted over, trees uprooted, vernacular structures demolished.”
“The central vista leading up to Mdina will forever be destroyed to be replaced by a four-lane busy car highway,” BAG said in a statement today.
Excavation works began today
The activists called out Infrastructure Malta’s “PR campaign”.
Promoting the project, IM said it was set to reconstruct 13 junctions, remove four traffic lights systems and add over seven kilometres of new lanes along a 4.3 km road corridor.
In the campaign, IM said that unless the project was undertaken, “total gridlock” can be expected in Mrieħel, Birkirkara, Balzan, Attard and Ta’ Qali.
“It is a pity that this statement was accepted blindly by all permitting authorities, only to be contradicted by Infrastructure Malta itself during the hearing before the Environment and Planning Law Review Tribunal,” BAG said. “This project is yet another text-book case of creating ‘induced demand’ whereby roads are widened creating ever more demand for car-traffic in a never-ending vicious cycle.”
Calling the project “a done deal” which was always going to ignore any appeals, BAG lamented the way the project was pushed through, regardless of any ongoing appeals.
“The appellants in the Central Link case got wind that works were about to start before Christmas and filed a prohibitory injunction to try and stop them – at least until the Court of Appeal could decide on the matter,” they said.
A render of the Central Link Project
“The First Hall of the Civil Court decided that since the Court of Appeal judgment was imminent, any works carried out would not be irreversible and there would be no irrevocable prejudice,” they continued.
“The fact that Infrastructure Malta has not even respected the spirit of this decision – and is trying to force as much work through before the Appeal hearing next week – is indicative of its modus operandi. But then – this is the same entity which is causing havoc in Wied Qirda without a permit,” they concluded.
What do you think of their argument?
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