Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Mayor of Tirana Erjon Veliaj, today visited the construction site on the Students city campus in Tirana where work is intensively underway as part of a project designed to significantly and qualitatively improve student housing conditions. A series of private enterprises are contributing to project aimed at transforming the university campus. Works are currently underway to reconstruct the sanitary facilities, toilets, showers and shared facilities. More than 2000 student rooms will be reconstructed in the period between July and August, when students end this academic year.
The reconstruction phase is expected to last two to three months with work going on step by step in each floor. The student reading rooms are also expected to be remodelled from scratch in order to provide congenial atmosphere to students to pursue their studies seriously.
The construction work manager explained that project is designed to reconstruct entire façade, while work is underway in the interior premises to remove the existing tiles and plastering, and new toilet and shower facilities will be constructed in the dormitory buildings.
“Internal moisture removal is the minimum of guarantee. The problem with these buildings is that of being tool old, damaged and suffer poor waterproofing. So developing all the aspects of the buildings waterproofing defence should be the basis and other aspects will be then addressed step by step, but waterproofing should be the basis,” PM Rama said in his remarks during the inspection of ongoing works on two student dormitory buildings, adding that it is crucial for the academic year to end as scheduled on time, in order that reconstruction works are not delayed.
“We would like to thank you for this project designed to improve the living conditions in the student dormitory facilities, as this intervention was really imperative. We hope that construction work extends to other dormitory buildings too,” a Science of Nature Faculty student said.
The head of the Student Treatment Entity, Anila Shehu said that the number of dorm rooms for student accommodation will grow significantly with the eviction of families that have occupied the student rooms. Mayor Erion Veliaj said that Tirana Municipality will care to provide alternative housing for these families. “No family will remain homeless as they will be provided social housing or rental bonus. These families occupied during ’90s during those terrible years when the party militants were granted rooms in the Student City. It was a transitory period which can no longer continue today 30 years later,” Veliaj said.
In addition to the reconstruction of the dormitory buildings, work is also underway to rehabilitate and expand the green spaces within the territory of Student City, as every demolished illegal building has been replaced by green spaces and recreational facilities.
