Ouargla: five development operations for the preservation of the old Ksar
Five (5) development and restoration operations have been selected in the wilaya of Ouargla to safeguard and preserve the old Ksar of Ouargla, we learned on Monday from the local management of town planning and construction (DUC ).
With an envelope of 250 million DA devoted to the original budget of the wilaya for the 2021 financial year, these actions consist of the development of a surface of 17,880 m2 of the enclosure of this old space, including the earthworks, the construction of sidewalks, the development of green spaces, the rehabilitation of the six gates of the Ksar, in addition to the development of the old Souk square over 3,700 m2, as well as the delimitation of 41 commercial spaces and squares at market level , detailed, the DUC, Hamid Ouâli, on the sidelines of the visit of the local authorities to the old Ksar of Ouargla.
The development of 7,200 m2 of the Place des Martyrs and an area of 5,300 m2 of the Placette 1er Mai, adjoining the Souk El-Hadjar market, the renovation of the drinking water supply and sanitation networks in the surrounding area of the old Ksar, are part of the operations selected in coordination with organizations, architects and associations concerned with the preservation of tangible and intangible heritage.
The old Ksar of Ouargla – Credit: Rachid Imekhlef
The archaeologist and architect, Mustapha Hafsi, authorized by the Ministry of Culture, and president of the development spaces project, recommended, first of all, the urban and functional promotion of this space, including the renovation of the various networks, drinking water and sanitation, because, he considered, these spaces are very sensitive requiring meticulous and studied intervention according to the standards and techniques required of such a site, classified since 1966 as national heritage, and in 20081 as a “sector safeguarded ”.
Sounding the alarm on the degradation of this archaeological site, the speaker, who is also a member of the "Culture and Reform" association of Ouargla, estimated that this masterpiece of man is threatened today also due to unstudied interventions.
The wali of Ouargla, Mustapha Aghamir, who, on this occasion, took note of the concerns of certain occupants of the old Ksar linked in particular to the rehabilitation of this secular site, emphasized the necessary combination of efforts, sectors of the planning, culture, associations, for the preservation of this archaeological site which reflects the long and authentic history of the local population.
Source: websites