About 10,000 tonnes of antiskid mixture were spread last year on the streets of Chisinau by the municipal road maintenance enterprise Exdrupo. 3,500 tonnes remained and another 5,000 tonnes of salt and 6,000 tonnes of sand have been purchased. The local authorities said they are ready to cope with snowfalls and glazed frost. The first test was passed at the start of December.



Municipality buys multifunctional equipment

A broad campaign to modernize the municipal enterprises that execute field works funded by the Chisinau City Hall was launched in 2019. The municipal authorities give preference to multifunctional equipment that can be used in the cold season of the year and also in summer, like modern blowers, snow removal machines that can be used to transport asphalt in summer and multifunctional tractors.

“We yet need more equipment and the investments are large. But the result is anyway good as no purchase of units was made the last ten years,” said deputy mayor Ilie Ceban.

Besides equipment, two minibuses for transporting workers of Exdrupo were bought. So far these were transported by trucks purchased in the 1980s. “We value these workers who are daily in the service of the citizens of the municipality of Chisinau,” stated Ilie Ceban.





Special vehicles made in the 1970s continue to be used
 
The municipal enterprise Exdrupo has units of transport that are involved in all the snow removal processes in winter. It serves primarily the main arteries and secondary streets of the city and the access ways to the suburban settlements to which public transport travels. The enterprise also has over 100 special vehicles and units of equipment. It recently purchased another 14 units. Even if 60% of the company vehicles are very old, they are functional and continue to be used, being repaired on time.

“New equipment has been purchased during the past three years. No purchases were made in 2000-2010 and only donated equipment was received, but these donations were made the last few years. The multifunctional vehicles cost over 2 million lei, depending on the type of equipment. Multifunctional vehicles were bought this year and we also received a new bulldozer-excavator this year. Purchases were planned for next year too. We will yet see what can be bought, depending on the budget,” said the manager of Exdrupo Sergiu Tomiță.





During the day, five vehicles spread antiskid mixture on the streets of the city. At night, the number of vehicles is increased to 15-20. If it snows and the streets need to be cleared of snow, the number of vehicles is increased to 60-70. The workers of Exdrupo also spread salt and sand mixture on bridges and scaffolds. If necessary, all the enterprise’s 70 workers are involved.

Parks are responsibility of Green Areas Association

The snow removal works in parks, including alleys and squares, are managed by the municipal enterprise Green Areas Association. The enterprise has 20 snow removal units equipped with blade and brush. Last year the association purchased two multifunctional mobile units that can be used in snow removal works. At the end of 2022, the Chisinau City Hall is to transmit special motor vehicles and equipment to the association for maintaining the green areas.



When it snowed the last time, 300 workers removed snow in parks and squares of the city and spread antiskid material. Some of them worked also at night. “All the parks and squares that are close to urban agglomerations and on the citizens’ way to public transport stations are cleared of snow and treated for ground frost the first,” said the head of the Green Areas Association Victoria Covali.

In winter, the quantity of antiskid material used daily varies from 500 kg to 1,000 kg. The enterprise now has 420 tonnes of antiskid material from Turkey. The quantity needed in the cold season depends on the weather conditions.

The employees of the General Public Amenities Division are responsible for the yards of apartment buildings, sidewalks and a part of the streets. “We primarily clear the streets that are in the upper part of the city, like Hâncești, Miorița, Alba-Iulia, Miron Costin, Sudenților,” said the Division’s head Ion Burdiumov.



General Public Amenities Division purchased six tractors with trailer, brooms and shovels

The number of involved employees and the working hours depend on the amount of precipitation. The General Public Amenities Division this year bought six tractors with trailer, brooms and shovels and also 25 salt spreaders and five mini-loaders equipped with salt spreaders, brooms and sidewalk cleaning equipment.

According to Ion Burdiumov, their equipment is ready for use in the 2022 – 2023 cold season – about 200 units of equipment. During the first week of the cold season, the Division proved the efficiency of its equipment in practice. It used 16 units of equipment and spread 30.85 tonnes of antiskid material. The next week, when the amount of precipitation increased, 26 units of equipment were involved and 108 tonnes of antiskid material were spread. As many as 401 employees were involved in manual snow removal works.



The State Weather Service didn’t forecast snow for the next seven days. Daytime temperature will be above 0°C, while nighttime temperature will not go below - 2°C. It will rain in parts this weekend.

Milena Macarciuc, IPN