Transport Malta, in agreement with the Water Services Corporation, has revoked the permit of a contractor carrying out works at Msida because he failed to follow professional practices, the Infrastructure Ministry said.

It said in a statement that the contractor, who it did not name, failed to take the necessary measures for his work not to hinder vehicles and created a danger for motorists.

The authority revoked his permit and he has now been stopped from continuing with the works. He will also be fined.

Infrastructure Malta will be taking over the works so that these would be concluded by a differenent contract without the current time frames having to be changed.

Times of Malta reported a few days ago that the deadline of September 2 has already been missed due to weather conditions.

As a result, road resurfacing is still going on in Ix-Xatt Ta’ Xbiex, over a year after works started on the project that has been beset with delays.

Initially, the €930,000 project had be completed by April but, four months later, the road had remained reduced to one lane, causing daily traffic congestion.

The ministry said that abusers and those who did not follow professional practices will not be protected by the government.

Transport Malta CEO Jonathan Borg said the authority is taking enforcement seriously and is committed to ensuring that road contractors adhere to the regulations and project terms and conditions, including time frames.

TM is closely monitoring safety measures and will not tolerate contractors who cause delays or produce low-quality work.

Borg emphasised that contractors must prioritise the well-being of people and respect their convenience while executing their work.

"We were not joking when we said we will not allow contractors to cause unjustifiable delays and inconvenient circumstances to the neighbourhood and the people," he said.

This unwavering stance from Transport Malta indicates its dedication to upholding high standards and accountability for work on its roads, he said.

The CEO would not say who the contractor in question was.