Aradippou mayor Christodoulos Partou on Thursday said the municipality is planning to proceed with the implementation of three projects worth €20 million in Aradippou, Kellia and Troulloi.

According to Partou, the projects were discussed during a meeting with Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou last week and are currently awaiting approval from the finance ministry.

“We had the positive opinion of the minister of interior, whom we thank, and now we expect the necessary procedures to be completed to inform the finance ministry and other relevant bodies about the project’s funding, as well as to be notified when it will be included in the budget,” he said.

One of the projects concerns Kyriakou Matsis Avenue, a key road leading to the highway towards Nicosia and Limassol, which stretches from Aradippou to the Nea Salamina roundabout.

“It is used daily both by residents of Aradippou and nearby communities, as well as by trucks transporting cargo from the port of Larnaca to other cities in free Cyprus,” he said.

The first phase of the project will involve constructing a four-lane road connecting the avenue with Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue. In the second phase, the road will be expanded into a two-lane route extending to the Aradippou war memorial, with several parking spaces to be created along the way.

Each phase is estimated to cost around €4 million.

Regarding Kellia, Partou said the municipality has already prepared plans for a regional stadium, intended for use by local football teams, with an estimated cost of approximately €10 million.

“It will be a first-class stadium. There were some issues with permits because the site is Turkish Cypriot property, requiring the involvement of the Turkish Cypriot Property Agency and the Department of Urban Planning,” he said.

The third project will be carried out in the municipal district of Troulloi and forms part of the government’s plans to create affordable housing.

“We estimate that around 150 apartments will be built in this area. This is a significant number that can be made available to the public, with the aim of reducing urban sprawl in a border village such as Troulloi, while also supporting local development and potentially relocating services there,” he said.

He added that the involvement of the Cyprus Land Development Organisation (Koag) was key, noting that the municipality had proposed a site which the local community council had been attempting to divide into plots for several years.

“The entire project may not result in all 150 apartments being built, but whatever is delivered will be a major benefit for the residents of Troulloi, as well as for those who choose to settle there,” Partou said.

He added that Koag would decide on the allocation of the apartments, stressing that there would be no restrictions based on applicants’ origin.

“We will support Koag, outline the existing needs, and explain why this project is important for the area,” he said.

Partou also noted that development in the area is limited by road access.

“The existing road leads only to Troulloi. Without further development, the municipal district cannot grow,” he said.

Asked about Hellas Avenue, a road in the area where several fatal accidents have occurred, Partou said improvement works are already under way and that traffic lights at three intersections are expected to be operational by the end of May.

“We have received the necessary approvals from the Department of Public Works and other authorities. Tenders have been awarded, and the contractor has already begun installing three sets of traffic lights, at an estimated cost of around €280,000,” he said.