Hamieh announces launch of rehabilitation work on Bekaa highway

Lebanon's caretaker transport and public works minister, Ali Hamieh, announced on Saturday the launch of rehabilitation work on the Bekaa highway, which will cover all sections of the road from Chtaura (Zahleh district) to Qaa (Baalbeck-Hermel district), according to a press release issued by the state-run National News Agency (NNA). The route passes through Zahleh, Riyaq and Baalbeck.

The announcement came at a press conference held by the minister in the locality of Taybeh, in the Baalbeck district at which representatives of the head of the Baalbeck-Hermel parliamentary bloc, MPs from Hezbollah — to which Ali Hamieh is affiliated — and a member of the executive body of Amal, an ally of Hezbollah, Hajj Bassam Tlais.

Hamieh said that the roads had been inspected “during the months of May and June” and that work should start within two weeks. He also assured that his ministry planned to allocate a substantial amount to work on the country's road network in the State Budget 2025, due to be voted on by the end of the year.

In a separate statement, Hamieh said he had inspected the damage caused by the collapse of a support wall on the Amsheet bridge in Jbeil.

“Technical teams from the Ministry of Transport and Public Works inspected the damage and were immediately instructed to begin treatment and restoration of the bridge's support wall, starting with the side towards Beirut, and the workshop will move a few days later to begin treatment on the opposite side towards Tripoli (North Lebanon),” he added.

Hamieh has held several meetings on road rehabilitation in recent weeks. Last March, the Cabinet approved the transfer of funds requested by his ministry to rehabilitate the Chekka highway section in North Lebanon.

This article was originally published in French on L'Orient-Le Jour.

Lancement des travaux de réhabilitation de l'autoroute traversant la Békaa