The project for the road system and asphalting/ Citizens of Gështenjas village in protest

2024-12-05 14:22:00, Qyteti im CNA

The project for the road system and asphalting/ Citizens of Gështenjas

Residents of the village of Gështenjas in Pogradec have protested the morning of this Thursday opposing the implementation of a project for systematization and asphalting of roads. This project consists in the intervention of some of the roads in some villages of the Buçimas administrative unit, while the concern of the residents is related to the lack of transparency and the technical problems that have appeared during the process.

One of the main concerns according to the residents is the lack of detailed information about the project, including investment parameters, value and deadlines for its completion. Residents feel insecure because the project has not been posted even at the entrance of the village, which has brought confusion and concern to them.

In his speech, in addition to the residents, the headman of the village, Seladin Capo, said that the asphalting started 1 week ago, while it can be seen that the concrete is of poor quality, and the side channels of the road are not being interfered with.

Among other things, residents highlight some technical problems that have been identified during the works. According to them, sewage channels, side channels of the road have not been opened, fixed and maintained by the firm.

"Today we are all gathered for the concerns about the road investments. This investment is not within the parameters, the project should be put with how much it will be done and in which areas it will be laid. The canals meanwhile have not been done, I have also communicated with the administrations and they said that the canals will be done if the asphalt is not done in front of the canal. A project that we do not know at all, the asphalting has started for 1 week and it is being done these days. The project has not appeared anywhere control to see that there is no concrete quality."

The independent councilor in the Pogradec municipal council, Arbër Male, joined the protest of the residents of Gështenjas as he said that he has raised in the council several times the concern that some of the investments are of poor quality and has asked the institutions to set up monitoring working groups.

"I have been notified for days about the investments being made in the villages of Zërvaskë, Rrëmenj and Vërdovë where they have problems with the design as well as with the quality. What catches my eye is that the project, the value of the project, the deadlines have not been displayed at the entrance of the village of the project and normally the villagers want to be familiar with all elements of this contract the old asphalt has not been completed. The entrances and exits of the residents' houses are also not of the right quality. The mayor should come and take a close look at the works being done in the municipality of Pogradec citizens, but also the officials, when we bring even one worker to our house, we see the smallest details, not for a road that hundreds of citizens will pass every day. That's why the officials should come in time to look at the works and you solve in time.

Not more than 2 months ago, in the municipal council, I requested the establishment of an inspection group on all the investments made in the city of Pogradec, this village also has problems with lighting, this project was tendered 3 years ago, but this village still has lighting problems."

On the other hand, the works engineer Ermira Xhaja also came to the field, who is aware of the concerns of the residents and emphasized that the project has been repaired and some changes have been made to improve the quality of the works. Xhaja says that the project includes resurfacing the roads with asphalt, while the appropriate levels have been filled, stating that the residents' claims will also be considered.

"The project contained a resurfacing of the roads with asphalt somewhere between 6 and 4 cm. Concretely, for the roads that the residents complain about, it was 4 cm, but seeing that it was not enough, the project was improved with a 6 cm layer. The proper leveling has been filled even where the residents have claims, they will be reviewed as inconsistencies also occur during the implementation continue with the works due to the rains, we have interrupted them for the moment."

Two years ago, the internal roads of Gështenjas village were paved with asphalt by the company that laid the black water network as a way to restore the village roads to their previous state. Even at that time, the residents came out in protest, while after 2 years the next investment comes to pave this road again. This project for the systematization and asphalting of some roads of Buçimas administrative units started in May 2023. Meanwhile, the investment fund has reached the value of 117 million new leks, excluding VAT, providing for an area of ??about 60 thousand m2 and 8000 m2 of concrete slabs in the city of Pogradec./ CNA