Work has officially begun on the extension of Mircea cel Bătrân Boulevard, marking the start of what Chisinau Mayor General Ion Ceban described as a historic project for the entire country and the largest infrastructure project undertaken since independence. Speaking at the launch event, Ceban said the project had been promised to residents and is now being carried out by Chisinau City Hall together with the local community, TRIBUNA reports.

“I would like to thank the entire team, our EBRD partners and everyone for the enormous effort made so far.

What follows are two years of transformation for the Ciocana district and, practically, the construction of a new district, with all the necessary road infrastructure, pedestrian paths, parking areas, traffic lights, a new public transport station, as well as underground infrastructure and utility networks,” the mayor said.

According to Ceban, the new road segment will open access toward Port Mall, help ease traffic congestion and allow the city to expand together with the necessary surrounding infrastructure.

He also criticized the lack of infrastructure development in the area in previous years.

“That segment was left neglected, while many plots of land, before I became mayor, were handed over unofficially at derisory prices, and nobody took care of building the necessary infrastructure for the people living in the apartment blocks there,” Ceban said.

He added that the entire area between Dumeniuc Street and Port Mall will undergo major changes.

“From Dumeniuc Street all the way to Port Mall, everything will be transformed and modernized,” Ion Ceban said.