Cyprus’s Ministry of Transport has announced that two bids have been submitted for the design and construction of the Paphos–Polis Chrysochous road section from Agia Marinouda to Stroumbi. Cyfield offered the lower price at €124.85 million, while the consortium of Araco and Geostroy submitted a bid of €128,935,480.
The tender concerns the completion of design work and construction of the first phase of the highway, approximately 15.5 km in length. This project is part of a long-standing plan to improve transport connectivity between Paphos and Polis Chrysochous.
What will be built
According to the official announcement, the road will initially include two traffic lanes, with provisions for future expansion to four lanes. At the beginning of the route, an interchange will connect the new road with the Limassol–Paphos motorway near Agia Marinouda. Additional infrastructure includes a junction at the planned Tsada interchange and a terminal roundabout beyond Stroumbi, with a future connection toward Kathikas.
Significant engineering works are also planned along the route. The project includes the construction of five bridges and two tunnels, as well as four overpasses and twelve underpasses. The Ministry added that drainage systems for stormwater will be installed, along with street lighting, and utility lines will be relocated or upgraded.
Why the cost increased
Despite the submitted bids, the contract has not yet been awarded. The proposals will now undergo a detailed evaluation by the relevant authorities to ensure compliance with technical and administrative requirements outlined in the tender documents.
The bids exceed the project’s initial estimated budget of approximately €90 million. The Ministry attributes this increase to the overall rise in construction costs and material prices in recent years.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that this is a repeated tender. A previous contract signed in 2021 for about €73 million was terminated after the contractor requested an additional €36 million and a deadline extension of nearly five years. Authorities deemed these demands unjustified. According to the Ministry, accepting those terms would have raised the total project cost to around €119 million and delayed completion until at least 2029.
What comes next
The Ministry stated that the evaluation process will be carried out in accordance with established procedures. Afterward, a winning bidder will be selected and invited to proceed with the project. Authorities are currently considering all legal options, including negotiations or even a new tender if deemed necessary.
It is worth noting that the Paphos–Polis Chrysochous road remains one of the most problematic routes in Cyprus. In March 2026, heavy rains caused a serious landslide on this route, with three-ton boulders falling onto the roadway and forcing traffic to be halted for several hours. This incident once again highlighted the urgent need for a new modern highway.