Tons of rubbish and debris was removed on the first day of a rare cleanup operation of Athens’ Kifissos River this week as part of a wider Attica Region flood protection plan.
The large-scale cleaning operation along the 27-kilometer Kifissos River comes after decades of neglect and in view of the rain season.
Photo credit: Attica Region
According to Attica Region authorities maintenance, to be completed by October 31, aims to remove tons of rubble and waste to facilitate the unimpeded flow of storm water thus acting as a preventative flood measure.
Authorities said the cleanup operation was difficult particularly in the underground sections of Kifissos, which measure 8.6km in total.
Commenting on the project, Attica Region Governor Nikos Hardalias admitted that no maintenance works had been carried out on the Kifissos River in many years.
The operation, he said, was part of infrastructure upgrade works aimed at strengthening flood protection and ensuring a sustainable future for all residents.
The project is budgeted at 1.2 million euros.
