The government said Thursday that by year’s end it plans to get the wheels turning on a significant segment of the planned highway linking Paphos to Polis Chrysochous.

Speaking in Paphos, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said they aim to come out with the call for tenders by the end of this year or beginning of the next.

However, the minister described this is as a target, not a hard-and-fast timetable.

In Paphos, Vafeades met with local authorities to discuss the planned project, which concerns the second phase of the Paphos-Polis motorway – a four-lane segment connecting Polis to the village of Stroumbi.

Plans for the highway have been discussed on-off for the past two decades.

Although the tenders for the second phase haven’t been published yet, the minister estimated the cost of the project at €108 million.

Right now, the project is in the land expropriations phase. At the same time, environmental studies are being carried out.

The minister said that, after two decades of waiting, people have justifiably grown disappointed and tired of repeated promises.

But, he added, this shouldn’t be a reason to abandon the project.

“We’re determined to press ahead.”

Regarding a related issue – the construction of a third lane on the existing road connecting Paphos to Polis – Vafeades said the first segment is expected to be delivered soon, perhaps within days.

On the second segment, the project has been delayed by about three months – attributed to the contractor, who is incurring penalties.

Speaking to the media, Polis mayor Yiotis Papachristofi spoke of “fatigue” concerning the Paphos-Polis connection that’s been pending for 20 years.

On the plus side, he noted that the current government intends to speed things up.

As for first phase of the Paphos-Polis highway project, the bids are currently being assessed by a board.

The first phase concerns a 15km-long section linking the villages of Ayia Marinouda and Stroumbi.

According to reports, there are two bids: one from Cyfield Construction Ltd for €124 million, and the other from Araco Construction Cy Ltd for €128 million.