More than 250 facilities will get a new look in Polotsk by the Day of Belarusian Written Language

The city today resembles a large construction site. Both in the center and in the residential areas, something is being improved, dug, repaired, or painted. 12 courtyards and about 28 thousand square meters of roadway have already been asphalted, facades of 15 residential buildings have been repaired, and repairs of buildings, monuments, benches, bus stops, and container sites, replacement and installation of bins, improvement of recreational areas, and reconstruction of transit road sections are ongoing.

– As of today, – says Alexander Mikhalievich, Deputy Chairman of the Polotsk District Executive Committee, – we are on schedule. In total, out of 68 facilities of communal ownership, work has been completed at 33, is underway at 16, and we will start the rest in the near future. There are no serious problems here: everything necessary is being done, and material resources are being acquired based on funding. We plan to complete the implementation of measures within the established deadlines, by August 15-20.

Problematic issues, as noted by Alexander Mikhalievich, arise with a number of unfinished construction projects that require significant material and time costs. Among them are buildings on Oktyabrskaya and Nizhne-Pokrovskaya streets, owned by private companies. The owners are not taking adequate measures to put them into operation.

A significantly larger number of courtyards require improvement than the two dozen included in the plan for preparing for the holiday. Corresponding appeals are also received from the city residents. Therefore, the local authorities have sent a letter to the regional executive committee with a request to increase funding for this item.

Additionally, as reported by Konstantin Lagun, Deputy Director of the Communal Unitary Enterprise for Housing and Communal Services (КУП ЖКХ), the circumstances that arose did not allow for the commencement of reconstruction and improvement works on Francis Skorina Square. The design and estimate documentation underwent a lengthy approval and expert review process, after which it was discovered that underground utility networks on the square required replacement. Consequently, the cost of the works increased by almost 2.5 times, and the timeline extended to five months. Therefore, instead of June, it was decided to start the reconstruction in September, after the holiday, and complete it according to the plan.

One of the largest improvement projects is the "Reconstruction of Zygin Street – Oktyabrskaya Street on the section from the railway crossing to the 'Otdykh' restaurant, 1st stage." Works here were initiated back in 2009 but were suspended due to a lack of funding. This year, an allocation of 1,498,300 rubles is planned through the transfer of subsidies from the republican road fund. The design and estimate documentation was prepared by the Novopolotsk branch of the "Vitebskgrazhdanproekt" institute. The general contractor is the DSU-2 branch of OAO "DST-1, Vitebsk."

Currently, as stated by Dmitry Pipkin, a representative of the client and Head of the Capital Construction Department of the Polotsk Communal Unitary Enterprise for Housing and Communal Services (КУП ЖКХ), the construction readiness of the facility is almost 75%. The project envisages widening the road carriageway to standards allowing for four-lane traffic, as well as the creation of pedestrian connections, cycle paths, and a roundabout. The reconstruction will enhance the reliability of the existing transport network, address the pressing issue of relieving traffic congestion in the northern direction, improve the appearance of the city entrance from the Russian Federation, and establish an optimal system for organizing transport and pedestrian movement.

Significant work is being carried out on the reconstruction of St. Sophia Cathedral, the repair of the Museum of Belarusian Book Printing, the City Palace of Culture, and the Rodina cinema. Educational, healthcare, trade, and public catering facilities are being renovated. Enterprises and organizations are actively tidying up their assigned territories, and private property owners are doing the same on their plots. The ancient city will be transformed for the holiday and will worthily welcome guests.

Larisa MALASHENYA, photos by the author. "Vitebskiye Vesti".