As Mosta Square Closes For Cars, Concerns About Safety And Traffic Mobility Abound
As temperatures, and tempers, soar, Mosta Pjazza is next in line for closure as the grand projects move forward, albeit slower than everyone wishes.
Tomorrow will see the Pjazza closed for traffic in front of the church, making it impossible to cross from one side to the other.
The Mosta Local Council posted the changes on social media to try to inform residents what to expect: “On Thursday, July 6th, the square will be closed until the end of July to continue the construction of the concourse platform.”
“Anyone coming from Constitution Street can only go towards Main Street. You cannot go towards Naxxar via the Basilica. You cannot descend towards the square from Lord Nelson.”
“The last part of Triq il-Pont will be one way because a new bus route will pass along it.”
“There will be a temporary Bus Stop on Pont Street in front of Savewise for the buses going towards St. Paul’s direction.”
“Ħanqa Square will be reopened. Adjacent to it, there will be a change in the route and direction of the buses passing through St Anna Street.”
While the hastening of works has been highly commended, many have lamented that safety measures are severely lacking if existing at all.
A man posted a photo of his mum’s legs, both of which have been broken after a fall in the square.
“Zero safety in Mosta Project. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You don’t even know what it means. Everyone in charge should go to jail. You are treating the elderly as trash. This is my mum. She’s broken both her legs. The last fortnight about 15 elderly people have fallen down. I don’t know when action is going to be taken not to say never as the institutions have been compromised.”
Many elderly people have suffered health consequences from works dragging on a couple of years. As some of the roads took months, in the case of Triq il-Kbira, years to finish, some spent months having to walk on wooden planks to exit their own houses and walk on rubble till they find a smooth path.
There were many reports of elderly people falling and getting fractures, torn ligaments and bruises, not to mention asthma and respiratory diseases caused by the dust and other particulate matter.
Although it is obvious that certain infrastructural projects must be undertaken facing the fast ongoing rate of development and increase in population, many have questioned the lack of planning and health and safety measures.
“I have lived in many countries abroad. When living next to construction sites I never faced the same issues I face here, namely noise and dust. Regulations mean that the contractors have the duty to minimise the nuisance to the residents especially when it comes to endangering their health,” said one distraught resident.
“It is not fair that our health must bear the brunt of the ongoing development and strengthening of the economy. The country should not be moving forward on the back of its more vulnerable residents to appease the few that are gaining considerably from this growth.”
Other concerns are the effects that these works will have on the traffic eco-system. With considerable pressure on the northern areas with ongoing works closing several roads such as Xemxija, L-Imbordin, Bidnija and T’alla w-Ommu, traffic is reaching near gridlock.
All this chaos is certainly heaving an effect on mental health. One can only hope that this state of affairs will soon be over.
What do you make of the situation?
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