Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544603
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 APRIL 2026 NEWS CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 The latest plan unveiled by Transport Minister Chris Bonett is for a €2.8 billion light rail line connecting St Paul's Bay to the airport via Valletta, Qormi and Tal-Qroqq. The pro- posal is for the route to be part underground, part street-level and part elevated. A previous, fully-fledged underground sys- tem unveiled in 2021 and later abandoned, had a price tag of more than €6 billion. The light rail line will be part of a broader mobility network, where buses will remain the backbone of public transport. The vision, dubbed Malta in Motion, has a 15-year time- span and also includes sea lanes for ferries, walking and cycling routes. Last September, Caruana had questioned the viability of a metro project, warning that, apart from the massive price tag, the project would require a radical cultural shift. "If some- one wants to convince me, they will have to explain to me how they will get people to stop us- ing their cars," he had said at the time. In today's interview with Mal- taToday, Caruana insisted that before he can sign off on such a project, he must be sure that it is viable through more studies which are yet to be carried out. Caruana stressed that he can- not treat the mass transport project lightly, repeating previ- ous statements that if that pro- ject goes wrong, it would spell disaster for Malta's economy. Asked whether he would con- dition his acceptance on the government implementing measures aimed at reducing private car use, he replied: "To get to that point, first I have to be convinced of the numbers." The finance minister said fea- sibility would have to be de- termined by trip fees and what government will spend on sub- sidies to make them affordable. If mass transport goes wrong, it would spell disaster A still from the promotional video generated by AI to showcase the concept of an overhead light rail line envisaged in the new transport plan dubbed Malta in Motion 10-storey hotel to replace Msida old people's home A new planning application has been presented to transform the Marina Palace elderly home fronting sixth form bus stop into a 10-storey high four-star hotel. The hotel is being proposed in close proximity to a recently approved six-meter-high pe- destrian bridge linking the two popular bus stops on either side of the busy road. The application foresees the demolition of the existing building and excavation to ap- proximately one metre below existing street level. The proposed 4-star hotel will include an indoor swim- ming pool and breakfast area at basement level; a reception and lounge at ground floor lev- el, a spa, gym and cafeteria at mezzanine level and 120 guest rooms on the overlying eight levels. A restaurant and bar will be situated on the tenth floor. An outdoor swimming pool is also being proposed at roof lev- el. Previously the same site was earmarked for an old people's home on nine floors and stor- age at basement level. As pro- posed the development was also to include six shops on its ground floor. The appli- cation presented by Emanuel Farrugia was later withdrawn, with the latest application be- ing presented by Ivan Cachia's Garzes-A Limited. The area is already heavily urbanised and characterised by high buildings but a sizea- ble hotel in the area is expect- ed to put further pressure on the Kullegg bus stop, which is heavily used by Junior College students and other commuters transiting to Birkirkara-bound routes. Massive roadworks are cur- rently underway in the area as part of the Msida Creek Project, which also includes landscaped areas, a square in front of the church and a 600m-long canal. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt A new planning application has been presented to transform the Marina Palace elderly home fronting sixth form bus stop into a 10-storey high four-star hotel