Interview-200 km of Algeria East-West Motorway to be delivered in March, says minister

Algerian East-West Motorway has been achieved by over 80 percent and more than 200 km of it will be delivered in March, according to Algerian public works minister Amr Ghoul.

• You have said the five-year-plan reached more than 85 percent of achievement. What about the east-west motorway?
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• The East-West Motorway has been achieved by more than 80 percent. All indicators in workshops show that we will be on time in delivering the project totally ready. It will meet all economic dimensions on the regional and nation levels in addition to the social dimensions in direct link to people. The main objective of the project is domestic development and facilitating traffic.
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• The western part is in progress compared to the eastern one. Is there any problem with Japanese consortium Cojaal or are there any other reasons?
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• We can say Chinese Citic could face the challenge but hindrances for the western part are linked to the nature more than performance. This part passes through rough mountainous areas and vulnerable lands of special geological nature.
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• A special security plan was adopted to ensure the safety of workers because of the use of explosives. On the other hand, Cojaal must be careful in building up our projects and infrastructures because it is a principle base for an economic fresh start.
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• What are the parts ready for delivery ?
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• The delivery program will start next March. More than 200 km are ready along with 30 km in the province of Bordj Bouareridj and 20 km in Bouira. In the west, more than 130 km will be delivered in Ain Defla to Chlef provinces. In Ghelizane, 35 km will be opened for traffic and 30 km in Oran.
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• Our estimates indicate that the part Algiers-Oran will be opened for traffic next September. In this way, the two consortiums would finish with the biggest part of the project.
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• This year was exceptional in terms of heavy rains. To with extent the public works projects have been hurt?
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• Indeed, public works sector was affected by the heavy rains because rains are the first enemy of workshops. Works on the East-West Motorway had stopped for about 5 months.
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• You have bet that the East-West Motorway would create 20,000 new jobs?
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• The latest figures show that the project created 70 percent of the 20,000 for Algerian manpower. The greatest thing is that the project has end unemployment among public works executives. A total of 3,000 jobs were attributed to the executives while all graduates from the High School of Public Works have held jobs as part of the project.
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• You say the biggest part of the project will be ready before a year from its contractual deadlines. Do you think it is a way to encourage investment?
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• According to experts, commercial exchanges on land represent 80 percent of the whole exchanges. Infrastructures are now the main condition for a fresh economic start. They are also an essential factor to encourage investment and attract foreign capitals.
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• The East-West Motorway along with other infrastructures is likely to attract foreign investment and boost domestic one. The project will also refresh the Algerian tourism.
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• Explosives were used in the project. Were any exceptional measures adopted in this regard?
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• The use of explosives needed a special security plan accompanied by coordination from a number of ministries including national defence and interior.
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• This plan ensured a land and air protection in carrying the explosives to avoid any error. This plan was efficient and there was no terrorist attack on the works.
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• Figures on the East-West Motorway :
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• Length : 1,700 km
• 100 giant bridges
• 700 bridges to link the major road to the current network
• 400 subways
• 16 tunnels with 18 km length
• 800 km of mountainous rough areas
• New houses for 1,000 families
• 15,000 families compensated
• 20 giant quarries for the project
• 400 dumping grounds
• 70,000 new jobs