An Underground Water Tunnel Between Sliema And Cottonera Could Be Happening Soon
A tunnel drilling project under Valletta that will link Sliema with Cottonera has just been given approval by UNESCO, according to tvm.com.mt.
The €10 million project was proposed by AX Holdings following a public tender by Projects Malta for any innovative transport solutions, and is aimed to be completed by 2018 for the celebrations of Valletta as the European Capital of Culture.
Since the whole city of Valletta is listed as UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, the project needed the organization’s green light before moving forward. Minister Konrad Mizzi has now announced that “following a rigorous process that analysed the AX Group proposal, UNESCO announced that this project satisfied all the criteria to be implemented and will not endanger Valletta city.”
In late 2015, AX Holdings chairman Anġlu Xuereb had explained the project’s technicalities, showing how the drilling project would take into consideration the numerous underground tunnels already present in Valletta and prioritise their safeguarding.
Running through Valletta from near Marsamxett Harbour all the way to Lascaris Wharf, the 800 metre long, 7 metre wide tunnel will drastically decrease travel time between Sliema and the three cities (especially during rush hour) to about 20 minutes. It will also ensure that the ferry service between Sliema, Valletta and the Cottonera areas are not effected by rough seas.
“This is an all weather solution,” Minister Mizzi had said, adding that the tunnel is projected to have over 1.5 million passengers over the first 10 years.
Passengers will also have the option to stop in Valletta and access the capital city through the Upper Barrakka Lift, but the possibility to travel straight from Sliema to the three cities (and vice versa) is of course the biggest innovation here.
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