Christodoulides showcases over 80 projects worth over €1b for the city and province of Nicosia

More than 80 projects with a total budget of over €1 billion, extending from the urban fabric of Nicosia to the suburban communities of the province, have been announced by President Nikos Christodoulides.

He was speaking at the Nicosia Municipal Theater on 30 June, as part of his tour of Municipalities and Communities of Cyprus.

Accompanied by Ministers, Deputy Ministers and senior officials of the state apparatus, President Christodoulides presented a wide range of interventions touching on social policy, health, education, culture, transport, green development and support for young people and families.

"Decentralisation, social cohesion and balanced regional development are at the core of our governance," noted the President of the Republic, adding that Nicosia, as "the heart of our state but also a city of contrasts," is entitled to bold interventions and ambitious planning. 

"A city, the last divided capital of Europe, where as a government we have established a guided tour of the Green Line by the Mayor, for all leaders who visit our homeland, since this is the only way for someone to understand the bitter reality of the occupation," President Christodoulides noted.

Referring to the sectors of social welfare and health, the President highlighted:

• The creation of a modern, specialised Day Care Centre for People with Disabilities over 21 years of age, as well as two independent living homes for people with autism worth €2 million, donated by Eurobank,
• The Engomi Multipurpose Centre (€1.7 million),
• A Day Car Center in Agios Dometios (€700,000), Akaki Health Centre to serve 15 communities,
• of the Peadiatric Oncology Clinic (€8 million),
• The construction of a center for Rare Diseases (€2 million),
• The Development Projects of Archbishop Makarios III Hospital (€21.7 million), which include the Children's Emergency Department, the Paediatric Neurology Department and the Clinic for Rare Diseases and Genetics.

He also spoke about comprehensive regeneration in urban areas of high importance, with the Strategic Development of the State Fairground Area and SOPAZ, combined, with the aim of promoting innovation and education, while simultaneously creating an important green space.

He added that for the final planning and making of final decisions regarding, SOPAZ and the State Fairgrounds, a committee consisting of the government, the local authority and the Nicosia Chamber of Commerce & Industry will be created to assess the viability of the proposed uses.

According to the President of the Republic, the "Smart City" project is also being implemented in Nicosia, which is co-financed by the Cohesion Policy Program "THALEIA 2021-2027" and which "marks a new era of digital modernisation for smart parking, smart lighting and smart waste management that will be implemented throughout the governemnt-controlled areas of Cyprus."

He added that so far the action concerning the procurement, installation and operation of smart city infrastructure and systems has been completed, with a total budget of €6.5 million, and the completion of the project is expected through the Smart Cyprus project, which has just started and is being implemented with funding of €28.5 million from the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

It also focused on significant interventions in transport and traffic with the aim of decongesting and alleviating the traffic problem, and projects such as:

• The Nicosia Ring Road,
• The Nicosia-Troodos and Nicosia-Palaichori Motorways,
• The New Macedonia Avenue,
• Stavrou Avenue,
• The Tseri-Strovolos bridge,
• The upgrading of Constantinou Paleologos Avenue and works on Eleonon, Megalou Alexandrou, Acadimia streets,
• The Implementation of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) through bike lanes and accessible routes in Kalamon, Glafkou Clerides, Athalassis Avenue, as well as
• An integrated bicycle network to connect universities with the centre.

Referring to initiatives for sustainable and urban development , the President of the Republic highlighted:

• The €76.7 million project for the Vassilikos-Nicosia water interconnection,
• €1.4 million grant for the beautification of areas and routes in the capital in view of the assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the EU,
• The use of recycled water in Anthoupoli (€9.5 million),
• The installation of new boreholes and upgrading of the Lympia irrigation project,
• 23 restorations of XADA and upgrading of the Green Point in Alampra,
• The creation of a Reuse Center in Dali,
• The planting and regeneration of the linear park of the Pedieos River and
• The creation of an ecological walk in Chrysospiliotissa.

He added that flood control projects are also being implemented in four critical areas of Nicosia, the City Centre, Agioi Omologites, Pallouriotissa and Lycavitos, with completion schedules between 2025 and 2026.

He also said that the Government has begun the process of revising the Local Plan for the Nicosia urban complex, so that the Plan becomes a modern, dynamic and effective tool for promoting development, while it is also proceeding with the preparation of the 'Plan for the Island', through technical assistance from the European Commission, which will constitute the main tool for the timely planning of development interventions, based on the principle of sustainability and resilience.

He also characterised emblematic investments in culture and tourism :

• The New Archaeological Museum of Cyprus (€144 million) with a completion date of 2028,
• The Gates of Paphos and Famagusta,
• The Archaeological Site of Ledra,
• The Pallas Cinema and
• The institutional cooperation of the Deputy Ministry of Culture with Municipalities to promote relevant actions through the Cultural Development Program Agreement.

In the areas of education, innovation and digital transformation , he distinguished:

• The creation of 25 new full-day schools in Nicosia and summer schools in all special,
• The New Technical School in the Municipality of Idalion,
• The Pilot Technical High School in Agios Stylianos,
• The operation of five zero energy schools by 2027 in Nicosia and
• The opening of a branch of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens within the walls with 380 student dormitories (€15 million).

In the field of sports, he said that the following had already been completed:

• The upgrade of the Nicosia Municipal Swimming Pool, a project worth €6.5 million, is progressing
• The upgrade and modernization of the Makarios Sports Center, which will also create synergies with our design for the State Exhibition, including a 5,000-seat outdoor stadium, a swimming pool and an indoor track and field stadium, which will also be used by the athletes of the Paralympic team.

On the issue of housing, he referred to:

• Projects with state grants of up to €70,000,
• The "KtiZO" Project with 155 apartment buildings in Nicosia,
• The Redevelopment of the Government Settlement of Agios Mamas (2nd phase) and in
• Plans for social housing and the separation of state-owned land.

Accordingly, regarding the revitalisation of communities, he spoke of:

• Start of a new registration process for rural roads and roads within residential areas of the Communities,
• Regeneration of cores in Pharmakas, Meniko, Alona, ​​Potami, Politiko and Dali,
• Cultural centers and museums in Gourri, Pera Orinis and Katydata and
• Identification of suitable pieces for the Solea Industrial Area.

"The main objective of all the projects I have mentioned today is to improve the daily lives of the residents of the city and province of Nicosia.

What I mentioned concerns the completion of projects, some of which were started by the previous government, the creation of new infrastructure, the stimulation of the local economy, highlighting the enormous development prospects of Nicosia.

"It is important to emphasize that the timely and quality implementation of all these projects can only be achieved with your contribution and cooperation. Let us work in a coordinated, collective manner, so that each planned project is completed on time and in the best possible way," he concluded. 

In detail:

Social Welfare-Health

• Creation of a modern, specialised Day Care Centre for People with Disabilities over 21 years of age, as well as two independent living homes for people with autism. 2 million euros, donation by Eurobank
• Engomi Multipurpose Center (€1.7 million), Employment Center in Agios Dometios (€700 thousand)
• Akaki Health Center to serve 15 communities
• Pediatric Oncology Clinic €8 million
• Construction of a center for Rare Diseases €2 million.
• Archbishop Makarios III Hospital Development Projects €21.7 million
  • Children's Emergency Medical Service
  • Paediatric Neurology Department
  • Clinic of Rare Diseases and Genetics

Comprehensive regeneration in urban areas of high importance

• Strategic development of the State Fairgrounds area and the SOPAZ, combined, with the aim of promoting innovation and education while also creating an important green space.
  • For the final planning and final decision-making, SOPAZ and State Report, a committee consisting of the government, the local authority and the Nicosia Municipal Council will be created to assess the sustainability of the proposed uses.

Major interventions in transport and traffic

With the aim of decongesting and alleviating the traffic problem:

• Projects such as:
  • Nicosia Ring Road
  • Nicosia–Troodos and Nicosia–Palaichori motorways
  • New Macedonia Avenue, Stavrou Avenue, Tseri–Strovolou Bridge
  • Upgrading of Constantinou Paleologou Avenue and works on Eleonon, Megalou Alexandrou, Acadimias streets
• Implementation of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) through bike lanes and accessible routes in Kalamon, Glafkou Clerides, Athalassis Avenue, as well as an integrated bicycle network to connect universities with the centre,

Initiatives for sustainable and urban development

• €76.7 million project for Vasilikos-Nicosia water interconnection
• €1.4 million grant for the beautification of areas and routes in the capital in view of the assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the EU
• Use of recycled water in Anthoupoli (€9.5 million)
• Installation of new boreholes and upgrading of the Lympia irrigation project
• 23 restorations of XADA and upgrading of the Green Point in Alhambra
• Creation of a Reuse Center in Dali
• Planting and redevelopment of the linear park of Pedieio and creation of an ecological walk in Chrysospiliotissa

Emblematic investments in culture and tourism

• New Cyprus Archaeological Museum (€144 million) – completion within 2028
• Paphos and Famagusta Gates, Ledra Archaeological Site, Pallas Cinema
• Institutional cooperation between the Deputy Ministry of Culture and Municipalities to promote relevant actions through the Cultural Development Program Agreement

Education-Innovation-Digital Transformation

• 25 new full-day schools in Nicosia, summer schools in all special schools
• New Technical School in the Municipality of Idalion
• Pilot Technical High School in Agios Stylianos
• Five zero energy schools by 2027 in Nicosia
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens within the walls and 380 student dormitories (€15 million)

Housing

• Housing projects with government grants of up to €70,000
• "KtiZO" project with 155 apartment buildings in Nicosia
• Redevelopment of the Agios Mamas Government Settlement (2nd phase)
• Plans for social housing and the separation of state-owned land

Revitalising communities

• Launch of a new registration process for rural roads and roads within residential areas of the Communities
• Redevelopment of cores in Farmakas, Meniko, Alona, ​​Potami, Politiko, Idalion
• Cultural centers and museums in Gourri, Pera Orinis, Katydata
• Locating suitable pieces for the Solea Artisan Area

(Source: InBusinessNews)