No more ‘ Confusion Square '

By Tedla Yeneakal

The much talked about ‘Gottera interchange' commonly known as the ‘Confusion Square' is set to transform into the ultramodern passing over road venture scheduled to be completed in eighteen months time.

The Addis Ababa Roads Authority (AARA) signed Friday a 96 million birr contract with the Chinese Construction Company, Sunshine Construction Group General Company at a ceremony held at the Addis Ababa City Hall .

Meanwhile, three construction workers lost their lives in an accident on Thursday, November 9, amid a demolition process of houses in the area that started a week ago.

About 150 houses are set to be demolished for the project, amongst which 98 are Kebele houses and 54 private residential houses. Several shops including other facilities such as the huge depots of Mobil and Total located within the construction sites shall also be removed.

“The project requires enormous skills in construction and is the first of its' kind in the country,” said, Eng. Fekadu Haile, General Manager of AARA, after the signing of the contract. “It is really a historical project that would significantly change the looks of the city and is intended as a gift from the Authority to the residents of Addis for the Ethiopian millennium.”

The new look for ‘ Confusion Square ', one of the busiest junctions for traffic in the city, was designed by East China Investigation and Design Institute and submitted to AARA in October this year, at a cost of 11.5 million birr.

“The project is really significant and boosts the bilateral relations of the Ethiopian and Chinese governments,” Zhang Yang Wu, Chargé D' Affairs of the Chinese Embassy said highlighting the importance of the project.

Meanwhile, the project has faced difficulties with residents and owners of the demolished houses feeling that the demolition was commenced giving short notice and complaining that they have not been given adequate compensation and a place to stay for the while.

“We have not been given enough time for relocation,” complained a resident in one of the Kebele houses, which is now fully demolished. “Where should we go now? Neither have we obtained a substituting residential place nor a compensation payment, forcing us to stay with relatives,” she said.

Dr. Ing. Wubishet Berhanu, General Manager of the Care taker administration of the city on his part, told Capital that the appropriate budget has been allotted for residents who will be evicted because of the project and are getting immediate response accordingly.

“There is a shortage of housing in the City and we have not fully been able to relocate for residents in the Kebele houses,” Dr. Wubishet said. “We are working on an immediate solution for the problem, it is very sad that two construction workers died but I assure you it has nothing to do with a harsh encounter of the eviction.” According to a press release from AARA, Shangai Construction has entered a contract to complete the project in June, 2008 and the actual construction period will be counted as of next month.

The project will have a total length of 8.1 km and will comprise ranging size of roads and bridges with the total traffic outlay will be on a 40 hectares plot. “The interchange design is placed in a way that the cross roads and the railway line will not meet,” the release read.

The total cost of the construction will be covered by the government of China and other related costs such as compensation and tax will be covered by AARA and the Authority estimates that it is about 25% of the total project cost.

AARA, during this Ethiopian fiscal year has a budget of 1.2 billion birr and expects to complete 41 road projects in the city.