By Andria Kades
A ROAD that collapsed in Limassol, weeks after it was constructed has left residents in Pyrgos unable to drive on normal streets since last September, with no one taking responsibility for fixing it.
Five homes are directly affected on Dimokratias Street, with people having to use nearby fields to get to and from their properties.
Although Limassol district officer Kyriakos Tsolakis was unavailable for comment, a senior official responsible for the specific area said she did not know about the road and no one there had the authority to talk to the press.
Later in the day, Tsolakis told the Cyprus News Agency that the road in question is a private way.
“It is not a public road. The matter concerns a private separation of land plots, for which we did not grant a final certificate of approval.”
The road was constructed by a private company. The soil in the area is gravelly.
According to Tsolakis, the owners have been advised to ask the Department of Geological Survey to survey the subsoil in order to identify the problem and how it can be corrected.
The case seems to have come to a standstill as no one is taking responsibility either for the problem or its solution.
Community council leader Andreas Spyrou said the council cannot afford to pay. It is estimated the cost to fix the road will come to €2m.
He confirmed daily Phileleftheros reports that the contactor sent a letter to Tsolakis outlining his proposal for a stop-gap measure.
Spyrou said: “People are stuck in their own homes. In order to go through the fields, they are trespassing private property. What if the owner decides to say ‘I don’t want you doing this anymore?’ People won’t be able to leave their homes,” Spyrou said.
Residents asked the district office to intervene when the problem appeared in September. However, according to the daily, they were told works could not go ahead while it was raining and it was not their responsibility in any case.
In desperation, the residents have sent letters to authorities such as the fire department and police seeking help as they are concerned that in case of an emergency there would be no access for police, ambulances or fire engines.
