“Despite the fact that the Msida Creek Project will turn the area into a car cemetery, result in the uprooting of several monumental trees, the asphalting of more agricultural land and impede pedestrian and cyclist accessibility, ERA did not deign to request a full Environmental Impact Assessment from Infrastructure Malta”, said a Moviment Graffitti spokesperson.
“ERA has not requested that Infrastructure Malta provide some other alternative project which would better serve the local and national community. Once more it has rolled over when faced with an Infrastructure Malta folly. This project will have a significant and irreversible effect on the social fabric of Msida, in an area which is highly pedestrianised and is the only green open public space in the otherwise built up town. The proposed flyover will affectively split Msida into two, with accessibility only made possible via pedestrianised bridges which have been criticized not only for their lack of aesthetic value but also for their effectiveness and mobility. One of the bridges will also be placed directly in front of a block of apartments, creating an awful visual impact on the residents who will be cast in the shadow of this structure.
Moviment Graffitti has therefore filed an appeal to reverse this decision, as ERA’s decision was unreasonable and provided insufficient consideration of the adverse effects and a lack of proportionality of the project.
“Minkejja l-fatt li l-proġett Msida Creek se jbiddel iż-żona f’ċimiterju tal-karozzi, ħa jirriżulta fit-tneħħija ta’ bosta siġar li għandhom iż-żmien, ħa jidfen aktar art agrikola taħt l-asfalt u ħa jneħħi l-aċċessibilità tal-persuni mexjin u taċ-ċiklisti, l-ERA ma ndenjatx ruħha titlob Evalwazzjoni tal-Impatt Ambjentali (EIA) mingħand Infrastructure Malta”, qal kelliem tal-Moviment Graffitti.
“L-ERA ma talbitx li Infrastructure Malta tipprovdi proġett alternattiv li jkun jaqdi aħjar il-komunità lokali u nazzjonali. Għal darb’oħra ċediet quddiem din l-aħħar ġennata ta’ Infrastructure Malta. Dan il-proġett ser ikollu effett konsiderevoli u irriversibbli fuq in-nisġa soċjali tal-Imsida, f’żona li hija pjuttost pedonali u hija l-unika spazju pubbliku miftuħ li fadallu l-aħħar pulmun aħdar f’belt li għandha kullimkien mibni. Il-flyover propost effettivament jaqsam l-Imsida fi tnejn, bl-aċċessibilità ssir possibbli biss permezz ta’ pontijiet pedonali li ġew ikkritikati mhux biss għan-nuqqas ta’ valur estetiku tagħhom iżda wkoll għan-nuqqas ta’ effiċjenza u mobbiltà tagħhom. Wieħed mill-pontijiet se jinbena direttament quddiem blokka ta’ appartamenti u ħa joħloq impatt viżiv orribbli fuq ir-residenti li se jispiċċaw fid-dell ta’ din l-istruttura.
Il-Moviment Graffitti għalhekk għamel appell biex ireġġa’ lura din id-deċiżjoni, billi d-deċiżjoni tal-ERA ma kinitx raġonevoli u ma kkunsidratx biżżejjed l-effetti ħżiena u n-nuqqas ta’ proporzjonalità tal-proġett.
