HIBAPRESS – Fikri Ould Ali
The coastal road linking the cities of Al Hoceima and Tetouan, which was promoted as a lever for development and bringing the distances between the cities of the north closer, has turned into a real source of concern for its users. Since it was put into operation, it has recorded repeated interruptions, disturbing traffic accidents, in addition to continuous rockslides that threaten the physical safety of citizens and visitors alike.
The most striking thing is that some of the damaged sections have seen malfunctions since the first days of the road's opening, without undergoing radical repairs to this day, in a scene that suggests that the structural defect has become a normal reality that is being lived with instead of being addressed. From time to time, limited interventions are recorded that do not exceed patching asphalt operations for tens of meters, after which the situation quickly returns to its former state, without any real treatment of the causes of the deterioration. This situation raises major questions about the technical foundations on which the project was built from its inception, and about the extent of the safety of the engineering studies carried out, especially with regard to the nature of the soil, the drainage of rainwater, and the reinforcement of rocky slopes. It also opens the discussion about the parties that granted the licenses and approved the handover minutes, despite the subsequent revelations of clear structural imbalances. With the registration of three interruptions in a short period of time, it is confirmed in a tangible way that circumstantial solutions are no longer useful, and that this road is in dire need of a comprehensive engineering assessment, which reconsiders its design and technical specifications, instead of settling for seasonal interventions that do not withstand the first natural test. The bet today is not only related to road repair, but to ensuring the safety of lives, and consolidating the concept of governance in the implementation of major projects. Real development does not depend on projects that are inaugurated in haste and then left to their fate, and the safety of citizens does not tolerate the logic of patching, but requires a clear vision, real accountability, and a sustainable maintenance plan that puts an end to the bleeding of repeated imbalances.
