Some Lm200,000 (euro 465,874) has been spent on building seven residential roads in Zabbar, the town where the largest number of roads is to be built in the road-building programme for 47 localities for 2006-08, Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said during a visit to see the work, accompanied by Zabbar mayor Clyde Caruana.

Over the past year, the Transport Authority had also financed the building of a storm water culvert in Zabbar.

Mr Mugliett praised the contractor who had undertaken the works for being among the first to complete the works given out under his period contract. The roads will be laid with tarmac by the end of the week.

New period contracts would be issued in the coming days as the 23 contracts awarded in December were completed. The new contracts include more works in Zabbar, the minister said.