Preparations for the opening of the Dherynia crossing are nearing completion while the call for tenders to complete the piece of road in the green line is expected to be issued shortly.

In July, the government made known in the Government Gazette that it would be expropriating land along both sides of the crossing in order to widen the road and for the construction of the necessary infrastructure.

Owners of property affected would be compensated according to Land Registry evaluations.

According to the government announcement, the expropriation concerns 150 land owners in the Ayios Memnon district of the Famagusta Municipality and Dherynia Municipality’s Akropolis district.

“The expropriations were determined at the initial stages of discussions between the two sides and that the expropriating authority will be the Republic of Cyprus,” said Public Works Department (PWD) Director Chrystalla Malloupa.

The expropriations include the all the properties involved on both sides of the green line and those within the green line itself.

“Greek Cypriots will be compensated under normal procedures while the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot Properties will handle Turkish Cypriot properties affected,” noted Malloupa.

Malloupa noted that work on the checkpoint in the government controlled areas was practically completed.

But it was unclear as to the progress in the north.

The UNDP is now expected to call for tenders for the piece of road within the Green line as it manages the European Union funds earmarked for the project.

“This is the same practice which was followed with the opening of the other crossings,” said Malloupa.

The state has estimated costs to the crossing in the government controlled side to be around €400,000 and include the widening of the road, parking, infrastructure and repositioning the fence of the military camp in the area.

Source