The government has once again succumbed to pressure from festa lobby groups and has allowed the blocking of the Regional Road so that petards can be let off during next weekend’s Msida festa.

Some years ago, the government had, after countless complaints by people bottled up in hot cars on steamy afternoons and evenings waiting for the festa people to let off their petards, decided to ban this practice and allow free movement on the country’s main road that links the North to the South.

But it’s back to the old times again. Police and ADT notices have warned that the “state of siege” begins as early as this evening from 7 to 7.45pm. Both the Sta Venera tunnel and the Tal-Qroqq tunnel will be blocked and traffic diverted to Valley Road.

The same will happen on Wednesday and Thursday between 8.30 and 9.15pm and on Friday between 9.15 and 10.30pm.

On Saturday, people going to the Jazz Festival are advised to leave their homes earlier, and also on Sunday. On Saturday the tunnels will be closed between 6.15 and 7.45pm and between 9.15 and 11.45pm while on Sunday they will be blocked from 7pm right to 10.45pm. A special word of warning regarding Sunday, since the cars diverted from the Regional Road will find themselves stuck in Valley Road and Msida roundabout while the procession winds its way around the town.

The place where petards are let off is already too near to St Luke’s Hospital. Come next year, it will be even nearer to Mater Dei Hospital.