Msida residents and motorists should, hopefully, celebrate the new year with the completion of works on the town’s most prominent road, according to Infrastructure Malta’s CEO.

Works on Ix-Xatt Ta’ Xbiex kicked off in July 2022, yet, for the past year-and-a-half, motorists have had to navigate potholes and uneven surfaces on the 400-metre road.

Now, Infrastructure Malta plans to start the asphalting of the road by the beginning of next week. Ivan Falzon told Times of Malta that roadworks will take place strictly at night, between 7pm and 6am, and estimated it will take between “45-60” nights for the works to be completed.

“By the first or second week of January, we should be ready,” Falzon said.

He said the road works will cost around €600,000.

The Msida project has been beset by delays and its original contractor had his permit revoked after he failed to follow professional practices.

Initially, the Water Services Corporation – which originally managed the €930,000 project – said the project would be completed by April, yet, the road remained reduced to one lane months after that deadline.

The latest deadline, September 2, was also missed and blamed on “unexpected rain”. Days after Times of Malta reported the missed deadline, WSC and Transport Malta revoked the permit of the contractor carrying out the works. He was forced to stop all works and was also fined.