Restoration works will be carried out on parts of the damaged Victoria Lines, which run through the perimeter of Mosta's Ġnien l-Għarusa's, the Planning Authority said on Tuesday.
Gnien l-Għarusa, a large recreational area in Mosta will undergo extensive upgrading works after the Planning Commission gave its consent for the project to go ahead.
The garden abuts part of the Victoria Lines and the former World War Two civil defence headquarters with its underground shelters. All structures are scheduled as Grade 1 buildings.
In places where the walls have collapsed, the original material is still found on site. Some other areas are distorted from non-matching stones built with a different technique to the original style. Here, the wall will need to be rebuilt using the same materials, size of masonry and techniques as in the original parts of the Victoria Lines.
Graffiti sprayed on the outer facade of the fortifications will be removed.
The works will also include the rehabilitation of the existing passageway and the installation of new benches and lighting. A gazebo and a children's play area will also be introduced. An existing reservoir will be covered and timber railing will be installed the westside of the garden overlooking the road.
The Victoria Lines - a short history
The Victoria Lines came into existence when in 1859 the British War Office issued a report highlighting the need for new strengthened fortifications.
The British were concerned about potential enemy landings in the beaches of northern Malta, resulting in ground offensives from this part of the island. In 1875, works started on fortifying the 12km long ridge known as the Great Fault which runs from Binġemma to Madliena.
In 1907, the lines were abandoned only seven years after completion, having never been actually used owing to the change in warfare strategy and improvement in artillery.
However, during the Second World War, further defences (popularly referred to as ‘pillboxes’) built in concrete and variably disguised in Maltese camouflage were built along the Victoria Lines. This defense became useful owing to the real threat of mass landings by the Axis both at the beaches as well as by parachute droppings and glider landings (1942 Operation Hercules).
The fortifications got their name in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The government included the Victoria Lines in the tentative list for inclusion as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. This military structure was scheduled by the Planning Authority as a Grade 1 national monument in 2001.