The Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı said on Sunday that they were working towards restoring the Department of Highways to its former days.

Minister Arıklı stated that they want to transform the department from a mere road cleaning institution to a department that constructs roads.

The Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı on Sunday provided information regarding the process to restructure the Department of Highways.

He said that planning had begun to organise personnel, to repair vehicles and to transform the department into a fully equipped and operational institution.

“Thanks to the Motherland Türkiye, they have made significant contributions to the highways of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as they have in all areas. The Highways Department is responsible for maintaining these roads at a high standard, but unfortunately, we have not been able to secure a sufficient budget. We want our government to give the necessary importance to this issue and allocate the necessary budget to ensure the safety of our people on the roads,” he said.

Minister Arıklı stated that the Highways Department was in charge of a total of 1,651km of roads, and despite various limitations, vehicle and personnel shortages, the department was striving to offer services.

He said that they were currently working to address the shortage of personnel and vehicles, and some vehicles in the department’s inventory have been repaired.

Minister Arıklı also listed the projects and field work carried out by the Highways Department.