Tuesday 12.11.2024 ΚΕΡΚΥΡΑ

Roadworks in Perama begin on Wednesday, one year after Ballos storm

Perama
08 Nov 2022 / 20:35

CORFU. Studies in the new ESPA Programme for the protection of the Ionian Islands with emphasis on their vulnerable areas.

The long-awaited project to repair the road in Perama finally begins one year after the Ballos storm. The contractor, having completed the works in Stavros and Ag. Deka, set up yesterday in Perama and, barring unforeseen circumstances, work to repair the first section of the road will begin tomorrow.
 
Signs and temporary traffic lights have already been placed there for vehicles and the Traffic Police has carried out the required inspection. Necessary road safety works are also planned, amongst other things.


 
The Regional Governor Rodi Kratsa said in the press conference held last Saturday that works will then be carried out at Aeolos, in Tsaki Benitses and in Viros.
 
The Deputy Regional Governor for Infrastructure and Technical Works Manolis Orphanoudakis also said that €1.5 million have been committed for this purpose.
 
Of the €15.5 million that the Ionian Islands Region has requested from the Ministry of Infrastructure to repair the damaged public infrastructure in Corfu, it has only received €5 million so far, while €900,000 more were given in two installments (€500,000 and €400,000) by the Ministry of Interior to repair the road by the Messonghi river.
 

The works
 
To date, €2 million works have been tendered and are being implemented. In particular, with the €500,000, 99% of the road by the Messonghi river has been repaired and the road surfacing is left. With the €400,000 from the Ministry of Interior, the repair of the back section of the road by the Messonghi river will also be carried out. The Afra bridge has also been completely restored following the damage done to the support wall and part of the road by the Ballos storm.



Clean-ups
 
As the Deputy Regional Governors Kostas Zorbas and Nikos Miliotis pointed out, clean-ups had started from the next day of the Ballos storm and did not stop even for one day.
 
The Civil Protection Service continues its interventions, which were more than €1,350,000. Stream clean-ups were carried out in about 150 areas, with the number of contractors and machinery available having increased significantly since 2019.
 
At the same time, new flood protection projects of €1,200,000 are about to be put out to tender.
 

Studies in the new ESPA Programme
 
The Ionian Islands Region, in cooperation with the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, is preparing studies for each island of our Region, with emphasis on their vulnerable areas and with the aim of protecting them from severe weather conditions.
 
These studies that will take into account the special characteristics of each area will be included in the ESPA Programme 2021-2027, as the Regional Governor Rodi Kratsa said at the press conference. "In Corfu, for example, we see that the south is particularly vulnerable. We need support, not only operational but also with scientific studies to see how to make the right interventions.
 
We are setting up a Committee with the Ministry for Climate Crisis - as it will also make studies for the vulnerable areas starting from the Ionian Islands Region - in order to secure our islands with modern scientific data", she added.
 
Finally, as the Region pointed out recently, it signed a contract with the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Protection regarding a pilot programme for the fire and flood protection of Ithaca. Skopelos has also been included in the programme for small islands.