Flood Damage Calls for Tender Launched

The Question Time session at the Parliament  last Monday was dedicated to the measures taken to address the effects of the floods on infrastructure in the southeastern regions of the Kingdom. This gave the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, the opportunity to list the many road sections that have been reopened.

«The royal directives have given us an opportunity to strengthen our efforts.», he said. This refers to the special program of 2.5 billion dirhams (USD 250 million), half of which is allocated to basic infrastructure. The reconstruction of bridges, rural roads, and of some roads of a special category has already begun. The ministry has launched calls for tender for the completion of 71 road sections and 69 engineering structures as part of the rehabilitation program for areas affected by the floods in the southeast. To finalize these programs, additional projects require studies that will begin in 2025. Additionally, the ministry has compiled an inventory in collaboration with local authorities and the Ministry of Interior. The dossier has been submitted to the Head of Government, who chairs the commission established to oversee the start of the work.The minister emphasized the need to review certain aspects, highlighting negative points. For example, in the bregion of Tata, his department is rebuilding a bridge. However, this is not enough, as it is essential to construct another structure in a different location. These floods occur every 100 years, with the next expected in 500 years. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare for future scenarios, taking into account climate change and its accompanying extreme events, including increasingly severe droughts and floods. Nizar Baraka highlighted the inventory work done with local authorities and the relevant ministries concerning the structures that need to be rebuilt. The list includes projects funded by the Ministry of Equipment’s budget, he noted.

Mohamed CHAOUI