Court of Auditors finally says ‘yes’ to repair of Garitsa shore road

The Court of Auditors gave the go-ahead for the repair of the Garitsa shore road from the Desyllas factory to Anemomylos by approving the contract for the implementation of the project.

The Supreme Court's decision was the last step in order for the long-awaited project, which has been through a lot in the last few years, to finally proceed.

The contractor who will carry out the project with a 14% discount has already been selected after the project was put out to tender again, with an open tender this time, as suggested by the Court of Auditors. All that is left now is for the contract to be signed, so that the repair of the remaining section of the shore road can finally begin.

As the Deputy Regional Governor for Infrastructure and Technical Works Manolis Orphanoudakis told Enimerosi, the Regional Authority's intention is to start the repair work after 15 August.

"We have called the contractor to sign the contract and submit the letter of guarantee within 15 days. At the meeting we will have with him we will also discuss the measures to be taken during the works," said Mr. Orphanoudakis.

From 'no' to 'yes'

For the implementation of the project, the Region had initially chosen the direct award by negotiated procedure, including the project in the emergency ones. However, it was rejected by the Court of Auditors because the project could not be considered urgent, since the damage existed before the Ballos storm. It also ruled that the Ionian Islands Region was not responsible for the project, but then the Region appealed to a body in Athens, which ruled that it was responsible for the project but the latter could not be considered as urgent, as the damages were known since 2012. The project was then put out to tender again through an open tender.

It was eventually awarded to the company Groutec S.A., which had been awarded the project in the first tender under the previous procedure. This company has also carried out the repair of the first section, from NAOK to Desyllas junction, including the repair of approximately 1,450 metres of pavements.

The project has an initial budget of €995,000 and has to be completed within 12 months from the signing of the contract.

It is getting worse

The current condition of the Garitsa shore road from the Desyllas factory to Anemomylos is disheartening. In various places the pavement has partially collapsed and fencing has been placed where necessary to protect pedestrians. All these years, however, the protests for the repair of the rest of the shore road have not stopped in order for it to look like it deserves again, allowing residents and visitors to walk safely on the pavement. Once the project is completed, the entire shore road will be repaired.

MARIA BAZDRIYIANNI