Rome faces pothole crisis as maintenance contracts expire

(ANSA) - Rome, October 14 - Rome faces a potential pothole crisis following the expiry of road maintenance contracts on October 1, sources said Wednesday. The process to award new contracts is underway. "The procedures for assigning new contracts are ongoing and it will not be possible to ensure continuity in road monitoring, rapid intervention and maintenance services," the urban maintenance department said.
    Insurance cover for eventual damage sustained as a result of the potholes will be provided by Assicurazioni di Roma Spa. The halt in road maintenance services comes at a critical time for the city as it prepares to welcome millions of pilgrims for the special Jubilee on Mercy starting December 8 amid a political and institutional crisis that saw the city mayor Ignazio Marino step down over an expenses scandal last week after months of pressure from his own Democratic Party (PD) and the opposition. Expiry of the road maintenance contract means Rome's municipal police are "powerless" to intervene when holes open up in the roads, while the present heavy rainfall "could aggravate everything", the Ospol-Csa union reprensenting the force said.