Mayor Robert Negoiță said, during a meeting with the residents of the area, that Transgaz should close the roads if there is a danger in the area. His reply came after the Recorder revealed that, in recent years, 11 asphalted roads over gas mains were built illegally in Sector 3 of the Capital. But what is the procedure for such an approach?
In a response to HotNews, Transgaz conveys that “it is a company that manages the national natural gas transportation system (SNT) and has the right to carry out work on natural gas transportation pipelines, but it cannot decide to close public roads.”
The company specifies that this decision to close either totally or partially a public road “is only made with the approval of the competent road authorities, according to the legislation in force”.
“For national roads, the competence rests with the CNAIR and the Traffic Police, and for county or communal roads, the approval is given by the county/mayor council, also with the approval of the Traffic Police”, Transgaz representatives state for HotNews.
Problems identified from 2021, says Transgaz
The representatives of Transgaz also conveyed that, due to the movement of vehicles, there is a risk of microcracks appearing on the pipe wall.
Transgaz also says that it has identified since 2021 the fact that, following the urban development in the area of the Titan gas measuring station and the gas mains in the area, constructions were identified in the area of protection and safety of the objectives of the national gas transport system, without complying with the legal provisions regarding the authorization of construction works, more precisely without obtaining Transgaz's approval.
What are the 11 streets
Thus, in 2021 and 2022, the gas company sent notifications and re-notifications to the City Hall of sector 3 and the State Construction Inspectorate (ISC Ilfov) regarding this situation for a number of 11 streets:
- Gura Solcii road
- Gura Vlădesei Street
- Brațării Street
- Gura Făgetului Road Street
- Road Road Gura Calitei
- Gura Putnei Road Street
- Gura Sărăţii Road Street
- Gura Calmatui Road Street
- Gura Ariesului Road Street
- Gura Racului Road Street
- Road Road Balta Plopului
Transgaz went to court. The file is at the Bucharest Court
“Considering the fact that the Bucharest District 3 City Hall did not take the necessary steps regarding the suspension/dissolution of the works/obtaining the approval of SNTGN Transgaz SA, they were sued in court on 31.03.2023, the litigation being registered with the District 3 Court, file no. 8920/301/2023”, the managers of the gas carrier also specify.
Transgaz is demanding in court that the City Hall of sector 3 carry out work to secure the Transgaz pipelines under these streets. At the same time, in the case of Brațării and Gura Făgetului streets, the company requested in court the abolition of public road development works.
Currently, the litigation is before the Bucharest Court, after the 3rd District Court declined jurisdiction in this case.
Recorder disclosures
The roads were built to serve the real estate complexes built in the last ten years in the Brațării area, in the east of Bucharest, according to the Recorder investigation.
The City Hall of Sector 3 did not have any approvals from Transgaz, which notified the local administration right from the beginning of the works.
However, Negoiță went beyond the laws and the Transgaz notifications and ordered that the roads be built over the highways, Recorder notes.
A person inside the District 3 City Hall told the Recorder that Negoiță knowingly defied the warnings of specialists.
“His interests are more important than anything else in the sector,” says the whistleblower. He agreed to speak only under the protection of anonymity, for fear of the revenge of the PSD mayor, whom he said was untouchable by any state institution.
Negoiță: Our street is not on your pipe, your pipe is under our street
The mayor also spoke about this situation on Wednesday, when he met with the residents of the area. He said, among other things, that “our street is not on your pipe, your pipe is under our street”,
“If they think it's dangerous… One: the gas that goes through that pipe is neither mine nor yours. That gas is paid for by each of us, the pipes are yours. Our street is not on your pipe, your pipe is under our street. It is your duty to protect your pipe because it is neither mine nor yours. Two: if you think there is a public danger with the streets these, I gave them in writing to come and close them today”, said Negoiță.
