The Tunisian Ministry of Defense has clarified its stance on the proposed revision of the route of regional road 72 in Wadi Mlague, El Kef governorate. According to the ministry, the four proposed alternatives by the Ministry of Equipment and Housing do not generally pose problems. This is due to the absence of sensitive areas in the project zone.
The Ministry of Defense was responding to a written question from Member of Parliament Imad Al-Sediri regarding the review of the route of regional road 72, which connects the cities of Al-Tawirf and Al-Kaf. The ministry stated that on February 27, 2020, it informed the Ministry of Equipment of its proposal to adopt the first hypothesis, which has a route length of 9.9 km.
This route was considered the most suitable for the effectiveness of military unit intervention in the event of a potential threat. Additionally, the route passes through the environment of the dam located in the area, contributing to enhancing precautions against potential risks. The Ministry of Defense emphasized that it did not propose any new route and had not received any request or written communication since February 27, 2020.
The MP's written question highlighted that the Ministry of Defense had proposed a new route, increasing the distance by 21 km from the initial route, which would be costly for travelers, vehicle owners, and public transport users. The MP also mentioned that a public consultation was opened, adopting four hypotheses, after agreeing to adopt the fourth hypothesis with a length of 7 km.
This fourth hypothesis was considered the shortest and most secure route, enjoying the satisfaction of citizens and road users from the delegations of Sidi Youssef and Al-Tawirf. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that it had not proposed any new route, citing the absence of justification, and had not received any request or written communication since February 27, 2020.
The Ministry of Equipment and Housing had prepared four hypotheses for changing the route of regional road 72, with lengths ranging from 9.9 km to 11 km. The Ministry of Defense received a letter from the Ministry of Equipment on December 19, 2019, requesting an opinion on the proposed hypotheses.
The clarification by the Ministry of Defense aims to provide transparency and address concerns regarding the proposed revision of regional road 72. The issue has sparked debate among stakeholders, with citizens and road users expressing their opinions on the proposed routes.
Key points
- The Ministry of Defense has clarified that the proposed changes to regional road 72 do not pose issues due to the absence of sensitive areas in the project zone.
- The ministry had proposed adopting the first hypothesis, which has a route length of 9.9 km, as the most suitable for military unit intervention.
- A public consultation was opened, adopting four hypotheses, with the fourth hypothesis being the shortest and most secure route.
