A government contract with Intrakat for the study and construction of the first phase of the Paphos-Polis highway has been terminated, the public works department announced on Monday.

A notice issued to Intrakat requires the contractor to vacate the construction site within 14 days of receiving the letter.

The department attributed the termination to “significant and unjustified delays on the part of the contractor”.

Despite repeated reminders and warnings during regular meetings and through official letters, Intrakat reportedly failed to address the delays, the department said. It added that even tasks initiated in the past eight months had not progressed as expected, despite conditions that allowed for uninterrupted work.

During the contract period, Intrakat submitted numerous time and cost-related claims, which were reviewed and subsequently rejected through standard procedures.

Following the contractor’s notification of a dispute, the Central Committee on Changes and Claims (CCCC) said had the contractor implemented mitigation measures as stipulated in the contract and maintained an appropriate pace, the project could have proceeded smoothly without impacting critical timelines.

The public works department will initiate a new tender process to ensure the project’s swift continuation and completion.

Locals have complained for years over the stalled project but local mayor Yiotis Papachristofi last month said the project was 30 per cent complete.

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