TRNC Delegates Road Lighting and Maintenance to Municipalities

The TRNC government has decided to delegate responsibility for road lighting and maintenance to local municipalities. A pilot project has been launched on the stretch of road between Ercan Airport and the Değirmenlik-Çatalköy Ring Road.

Minister of Public Works and Transport, Erhan Arıklı, explained that under an agreement with the Değirmenlik-Akıncılar Municipality, maintenance of the lighting systems, cleaning of the median strip, and landscaping of the Kyrenia mountain road will now be entirely managed by the municipality.

During a recent visit to Değirmenlik, the minister met with Mayor Ali Karavezirler to discuss the details of the collaboration and the ongoing progress of the project.

In return for taking on these tasks, the municipality has been granted permission to place advertisements on the lighting poles along the road, in a manner deemed appropriate by the Ministry.

"We are looking to replicate this agreement with other municipalities and expand it across the country, as the Department of Highways' budget is insufficient for road cleaning and median maintenance. Road lighting remains a priority issue. By allowing municipalities to place ads on the streetlights, we aim to generate additional revenue while ensuring that our roads remain bright and well-maintained," said the Minister.

It was also noted that all advertising permits and fees, including for billboards along highways, will belong to the municipalities. New advertising poles will be installed on sections with lower speed limits, as long as they do not pose a distraction to drivers.