Contribution of the equipment, housing and land development sector and enhancing the development process, were the focal points of the debate aired, on Tuesday evening, by "Tunis 7" TV channel and the National Radio.
The 12th debate, part of the series of debates held with members of the Government, gathered this time Equipment, Housing and Land Development Minister Slaheddine Malouche with several citizens, public and private actors from the sector, as well as academics and representatives of civil society.
Emphasis, on the occasion, was placed on the state of roads and bridges, costs of social and low-income housing and means to keep these expenses under control.
Discussion also turned on the plans devised to protect cities against flooding and preserve the architectural peculiarities of the Tunisian medinas.
The construction and public works sector, which presently employs 400,000 people directly and indirectly, contributes up to 6 % of the GDP and generates annually some 21,000 jobs.
The number of developers stands at 1,900, many of whom managed to conquer foreign markets, thanks to their compliance with the international standards.
Since the advent of the Change, 5.9 billion dinars have been invested in laying out roads, the minister reminded, adding that motorways represent 8% of the entire road network, in addition to the national roads linking the governorates, the regional roads and rural tracks.
Mr. Malouche announced the launch of a tender for the achievement of the Oued Zargua/Bousalem motorway, after completion of studies pertaining to this project, negotiations with the financial backers and fixing of its itinerary.
The minister stressed the need to ensure maintenance of roads to preserve them from erosion and climate hazards.
The ministry has prepared a programme designed to guarantee road safety and allocated substantial funds for maintenance of several blackspots and constructed footbridges.
Mr. Malouche reviewed the budget earmarked by the ministry for the construction of bridges, pointing out that each year an amount of 5 to 6 million dinars is appropriated to the building of bridges and that 14 bridges are under construction, in addition to 49 others to come by the end of the current five-year period.
Climate change, he said, has been taken into consideration when carrying out land projects in Tunisia, the minister said, adding that 100 million dinars will be dedicated, as part of the 12th Development Plan, to the protection of western districts of Tunis city against floods, in addition to planning of projects to protect 66 cities and urban centres.
Regarding compliance with standards in carrying out different land projects, the minister stressed the ministry's keenness to promote the quality control system in conformity with international norms and its gradual generalisation. The ministry, he specified, is currently tasked with following up the achievement of "civil" land investments worth one billion dinars, as well as 600 kilometres of roads at a cost of 1.5 billion dinars.
The department is also intent on complying with quality, cost reduction and respect of the time frame for completion of these projects.
Regarding housing, the minister reminded that social dwellings account for 70% of the annual achievements of the national real estate company, SNIT, and the social housing promotion company, SPROLS.
The minister added that 77% of the total dwellings built annually are carried out by privates.
He also added the density of dwellings in developed zones is now 45/hectare, compared with 20/hectare in the '70s.
The minister stressed that territory development operations cover the whole national territory, including the border areas, as part of outside development plans, and that the majority of roads in Tunisia link the country's east to its west.
He reminded of the Head of State's decision to conduct a special study on the development of border areas as they represent strategic ways for linking Tunisia to Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) member countries
The minister also reviewed efforts exerted to preserve the architectural characteristics of the medinas whose number is 60.
He reviewed, in this context, the restoration programmes of medinas and souks of such major cities like Tunis, Sfax, Sousse and Kairouan, emphasising development of a tourist circuit in the Medina of Tunis, which is already operational.
© Agence Tunis Afrique Presse 2010
