Prime Minister Edi Rama today held a video conference with the Minister of Culture Elva Margariti, the Minister of State for the Reconstruction, Arben Ahmetaj, and Mayor of Vora, to discuss progress of the reconstruction plan of the Municipality of Vora, one of the worst-hit areas by a Nov 26 earthquake.
Vora Mayor informed that a total of 2499 applications have been made by the local residents about quake-related damages to their houses, whereas some 877 families are currently being provided rent bonus for temporary housing. “Some 19 apartment buildings need to be demolished in the area. The Municipality of Vora includes two development zones, namely Vora and Marikaj, and public hearings about the reconstruction plans have been held during February,” Vora Mayor said. He also said that work to construct 15 out of 20 damaged houses is about to complete, while construction of five more houses is underway,
Culture Minister Margariti underlined that the process of designing the reconstruction plan has gone through its all stages and it has been approved by the Municipality of Vora. The total construction site is estimated over 110,000 square meters and the plan projects construction of a total of 962 apartment houses. “We are about to press ahead with the tender process for the construction. The plan includes all technical features and it is about to enter the implementation phase,” Margariti said.
The site selected to host the construction project, Margariti went on saying, will allow for the development of not only the damaged area, but it will also establish a connection with the surrounding urban area and will provide a series of missing services to the town. She identified the chaotic road system as the main problem that needs to be addressed in Vora. “A congested ring road that causes again a congested traffic in the interior urban areas, while no access roads have been built in the central part of the town, leading to a chaotic development also of the residential buildings themselves,” Minister Margariti noted.
The reconstruction plan, in addition to the goal to return the quake-affected families back to their new brand homes that will meet best standards; it will also address precisely the town’s urban development problems. “Creating a traffic-free area within the town and creating areas for pedestrians only have been included in the compulsory post-earthquake development plan. The reconstruction concept begins with the rehabilitation of the traffic, completion of the ring road and building a secondary road that will run in parallel with the highway and will ease the traffic. What the Vora town totally lacks is the urban dimension of a town with a boulevard, a road axis that would also create necessary social, economic and community spaces,” Margariti added.
The reconstruction plan foresees creation of 2515 meters of new road infrastructure, construction of a new market along the main boulevard, creation of various green spaces and sports grounds that will link with the town’s hilly part and will provide a new living quality for the local community. The reconstruction plan also includes construction of a new municipal building, a series of other public institution buildings, as we all as several school buildings.
The Minister of State for the Reconstruction Arben Ahmetaj said that three detailed projects have been already prepared, namely the project on construction of the private houses, the urban development of the town of Vora; and public infrastructure. Likewise, he said, bids are being submitted for the construction of 49 school buildings. Ahmetaj noted that according to the plan, construction of the infrastructure is set to kick off in three months.
