A policy day discusses the rehabilitation of the Mirage regional road in Al-Nasr
4/4/2021
Within the Marginalised Local Communities Development Project, the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution organised a policy day at Al-Nasr Municipality to discuss the rehabilitation of the Mirage regional road in Al-Nasr, Rafah.
The meeting was attended by Eng. Ahmed Abu Ghali of Al-Nasr Municipality, Eng. Ali Badr of Khan Younis Municipality, Eng. Suhail Mousa of Rafah Municipality, the Community Development and Accountability Committee (Partners) in Al-Shoka represented by Mr. Adnan Al-Lolahi, and Eng. Abdullah Al-Haj Ahmed representing the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. The meeting was facilitated by Eng. Iman Abu Saeed of the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution.
The meeting reviewed the Mirage road issue and its vital importance as a regional road linking three municipalities, along with the problems the road has suffered from for decades and their impact on the residents of Al-Nasr and the other municipalities.
The output of the meeting is a policy paper proposing practical, applicable solutions to the problem at the level of policies and procedures, whose implementation the community committee will follow up over the coming months.
The main policies and procedures proposed include:
Forming a steering committee of the three municipalities, under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, to follow up the Mirage regional road issue and the disputed jurisdiction over some areas.
Preparing a study of alternative traffic routes or roads to relieve vehicle pressure on the Mirage road.
Designing a procedural guide for agricultural transport lines and their specifications in accordance with the law, and applying this guide as soon as it is adopted.
Working to remove encroachments on the road reserve.
Levelling the sand on both sides of the road.
As an immediate interim solution, securing funding for the Mirage road from the three municipalities to rehabilitate some structurally dilapidated sections and provide a lighting network during 2021.
As a sustainable strategic solution, intensifying efforts to obtain funding for the full rehabilitation of the Mirage road, estimated to cost 6 million dollars.
The Marginalised Local Communities Development Project is implemented in partnership with seven municipalities in the central and southern Gaza Strip (Al-Bureij, Al-Qarara, New Abasan, Khuza'a, Al-Shoka, Al-Nasr and Rafah), implemented through the Municipal Development and Lending Fund (MDLF) with funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the German development agency GIZ.
