Imindounite (Chichaoua) – The provincial authorities of Chichaoua were quick to launch a race against time to rehabilitate the roads affected by the September 8, 2023 earthquake while simultaneously strengthening the road network in various municipalities, particularly in mountainous areas.
The goal of this operation is to facilitate citizens’ access to their villages (douars) and, by extension, ensure the delivery of food supplies and construction materials to complete the reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas.
In line with the Royal High Guidelines, the mobilization of provincial authorities, in effective collaboration with the private sector and civil society, has improved road and transportation conditions, reinforced infrastructure connecting the municipalities and villages of the province, and addressed the needs of local populations, who have resumed their activities, particularly those focused on agriculture.
To this end, a significant budget has been allocated to rehabilitate, serve, and o
pen up access to several villages within the commune of Imindounite, perched in the High Atlas Mountains at an altitude of nearly 1,400 meters.
“Like neighboring provinces, the road network in the province of Chichaoua was damaged by the Al Haouz earthquake, particularly the roads in 32 municipalities, including seven mountainous ones,” said Ourraiss El Hachmi, head of the equipment division in the province of Chichaoua, in a statement to MAP.
In implementing the program established by the provincial authorities in coordination with various stakeholders, emergency measures were taken to accelerate the pace of road rehabilitation and the construction of new roads, given the major impact of the road network on the daily lives of local populations, emphasized Mr. El Hachmi.
Even before the earthquake, investments of more than 100 million dirhams had been allocated to a road infrastructure program in the commune of Imindounite to combat isolation, he recalled, noting that after the September 2023 earthquake, t
he pace of work has significantly accelerated.
“The primary demand of local populations, both before and after the earthquake, remains the strengthening of road infrastructure to carry out their activities and attend to their daily tasks,” insisted Mr. El Hachmi, assuring that all parties involved are mobilized to meet these expectations within the set deadlines.
These initiatives have been well received by road users and residents of the commune, who expressed their deep gratitude to HM King Mohammed VI for the Sovereign’s continued care and attention toward the populations affected by the earthquake.
“The road construction work in the commune of Imindounite is progressing satisfactorily, and all parties involved in this operation are fully committed to meeting this challenge,” said Abdelali Oumbarek, a young resident of the village of Tiksit.
“This road network under construction will make the daily tasks of the residents of the villages easier, benefiting from all the rehabilitation and reconstruction
programs established before and after the earthquake,” he added.
“We are very pleased with the progress made in the construction of the road network in the commune of Imindounite, which will allow us to develop our daily activities and travel safely,” said Mohamed Aït Lqadi, a resident of the village of Tamgounsi.
Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse