The residents of Miraka in Librazhd protested this Monday against the way the works for the expansion of Corridor VIII are being organized, raising concerns that the road interventions have significantly hindered their access to the village. According to the residents, the situation affects not only Miraka, but also several other villages in the area. They claim that 7 villages of the Librazhd Municipality and 2 villages of the Elbasan Municipality are left with access only in the direction of movement Elbasan-Librazhd, while movement in the opposite direction is blocked.
Protesters say the problem has become even more serious after the interruption of intercity transport lines. According to them, residents who do not have private vehicles find it practically impossible to move towards the cities or return to their homes. "For us, this is an unbearable situation. Not everyone has vehicles and public transport is necessary for rural residents," say the residents, who are demanding a concrete and immediate solution.
The protest comes at a time when work on the expansion and construction of the Corridor VIII segment continues in this area, while infrastructural interventions have brought significant changes to the mode of traffic.
Following the residents' request, the Albanian Road Authority (ARRSH) has stated that it will examine the possibility of a technical solution to the access problem. According to the ARRSH, the solution will be evaluated based on the terrain conditions and road safety parameters. The residents, however, demand that the examination not remain only at a technical level, but be followed as soon as possible by a concrete intervention that guarantees their access to the road and restores the possibility of transportation for the community.
For the residents of Miraka and surrounding villages, the development of Corridor VIII is seen as an important project for the area, but they demand that the improvement of infrastructure not be accompanied by the isolation of communities living along the road axis.
