On Thursday, 26 September, Larnaca Mayor Andreas Viras personally supervised the reconstruction of Acropolis and Alki squares.
During his visit, he assured shop owners and local residents that the municipality is doing everything possible to minimise the inconvenience they face during the renovation works.
Viras mentioned that during the reconstruction process, temporary changes will affect traffic and vehicular access. However, pedestrians will be provided with unobstructed passage and free parking will be provided for residents and employees of the area in the new municipal car park opposite the Pankipras Lyceum of Larnaca.
It should be recalled that the large-scale project, which will last for 20 months, not only involves the renovation of the two squares, but also the reconstruction of the adjacent streets: Ermou, Zinonos Kiteos, Dimitriou, Nikolaou Rossou, Kosma Lisioti, Kosta Savva, Nikolaou Lanithi, Mitsi, Evantias Pieridou, Filiu Zanetou, Galileou and Evriviadi. It should be noted that all of them will soon become pedestrianised.
The main works cover widening of pavements, improvement of the storm water drainage system and underground utilities, and installation of modern municipal equipment. In the course of modernisation, trees and shrubs will also be planted and street furniture will be installed. At the same time, special attention is paid to improving the visual appearance of the neighbourhood and creating a comfortable environment for people with disabilities.
The budget of the project is more than 4 million euros. The funding comes under the EU Thalia 2021-2027 Programme, which plays an important role in the development of Larnaca's urban infrastructure. The works are expected to be completed by summer 2026.
The project to modernise Larnaca's central squares was designed by AF Modinos and SA Vrahimis Architects and Engineers.
The company was tasked with realising the aesthetic, functional and qualitative renewal of the area and ensuring the smooth and safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles. A tender to find a contractor was first issued on 8 November 2023. However, this attempt was unsuccessful as the municipality received only one bid. The main reason for the failure was the low budget approved for the project. Therefore, the Municipality had to increase the budget and announce a new tender, which was won by Miltiades Neophytou Civil Engineering Contractors & Developers Ltd.
