AN EXASPERATED Paphos councillor has urged motorists whose vehicles have been damaged by the appalling state of the roads to sue the contractors responsible for the project.
The outburst was made live on air during a radio interview, which heard local councillor and member of the Paphos’ sewerage board (SABBA) Polis Polydorou launch a scathing attack at SABBA management, administration and staff.
Polydorou told the Cyprus Mail, “The people at SABBA are well-paid and have in-depth knowledge of the job; they have to do the job they have been employed to do.”
The SABBA board member underlined that responsibility for the state of the roads is the responsibility of the government but of the Paphos sewerage board.
“It’s their work-in-progress and they should do everything necessary to ensure the works and the traffic on the roads run smoothly.
“I have said these things time and again. They need to supervise their work properly. They reply that they will do it next time, but it never happens.”
Roads in Paphos are collapsing after the appearance of huge craters in the aftermath of torrential rain of last weekend. With more bad weather on the horizon, locals are wondering if there will be any roads left.
Polydorou continued, “The engineers should go out and check each work in progress and supervise it properly: if this was occurring, our problems would be far less.”
The worst hit areas appear to be the roads of Kissonerga and Emba, with some of the roads now impassable for vehicles.
The sewerage board of Paphos is undertaking the second phase of upgrading work in most of the district’s municipalities, with officials and locals firmly placing the blame for the dire situation at SABBA’s door.
“Roads collapsing in Paphos is now a common problem; all of Paphos is a huge works site. No one seems to take action about the matter, although I keep repeating that urgent steps need to be taken,” said Polydorou.
Polydorou said he is fed up with the situation and of his requests to improve matters falling on deaf ears.
Stuart Maskell lives in Chlorakas, one of the worse affected areas. He said over the past two months the condition of the roads has been worsening.
“I think that SABBA is putting in the main drain and it’s making the roads sink.
“Close to where I live, two parts of the road have sunk down by at least a foot. The road has been dug up five times and bits are added here and there, but it’s never finished.”
Nikola Pentara Street is the main artery connecting the village of Chlorakas with the Tomb of the Kings road, and according to Maskell it’s in an atrocious state.
“When it rains, the water washes rubble, sand, chunks of road and all sorts down to the bottom, where it stays. It used to be a nice road, but now half of it is shut.”
Maskell said a huge hole in the middle of the road is dangerous and an accident waiting to happen.
“The problem is there that so many contractors are working on the project and they don’t finish a section and leave it completed.”
Kissonerga village is also being badly affected, according to resident Dora Economou.
“It’s terrible for the people who live here. For the last two months, we have been encircled by works. There is a lack of programming and good organisation on the part of the contractors and roads are being opened and closed continuously.”
Economou called on SABBA to take immediate and drastic measures to improve the situation.
Polydorou added that problems of Paphos roads have a number of different aspects. Firstly, he says the lack of roads in villages means that there may be only two main roads – and one and a half may be closed at any one time for work, creating huge problems.
“In Paphos we have alternative routes, but from the other angle we don’t have sufficient supervisions by SABBA administration, the manager and the employees.”
“As far as specific road collapses are concerned I can’t comment on individual cases without all the relevant information, but the recent unpredictable weather conditions can’t have helped.
“There were big problems on Paphos roads last Sunday and I fear more to come as the winter weather comes.”
Polydorou added, “SABBA must take all possible measures to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. I expect work to continue for at least a couple more years.”
He concluded, “We are all in the same boat; our cars are being destroyed by the terrible condition of the roads. Most of the board feels as strongly as I do.”
A SABBA board meeting will be held today where Polydorou says he will again address the road network problem and request urgent measures to be enforced.
A member of SABBA staff , who wished to remain nameless, disputed Polydorou’s accusations, instead saying that civil engineers inspected the sites in Paphos on a regular basis and gave a full account of the situation to the SABBA committee.
