Malaga traffic returns to usual Holy Week detours after water supply breakdown repair
The connection towards the city centre from Camino Nuevo to the Santuario reopens to facilitate bus and car journeys during the processions
Chus Heredia
Wednesday, 1 April 2026, 14:52
Traffic on Calle Pedro de Quejana in Malaga reopened at midday on Wednesday, earlier than the forecasts the authorities had set after the water supply network breakdown last week.
What might initially seem like a minor thoroughfare is key to transport in the La Victoria area, as it is one of the main detours the urban buses (EMT) use during Holy Week processions. It is also vital for traffic heading towards the El Limonar and Este districts.
These past few days, buses, cars and motorcycles (except for residents) had to take a detour to reach or leave La Victoria, using Camino de los Almendrales. The only disruptions expected in the coming days will be the closure of Calle Victoria during the departure and return of the El Rico procession on Wednesday and the processions of El Amor and Monte Calvario on Friday.
Plan C
The rupture of a water supply pipe, which caused the road to collapse, forced the transport department to draw up a 'plan C' for Holy Week. The Victoria neighbourhood is deeply rooted in religious tradition, with several brotherhoods passing through it during Semana Santa.
It is also part of the routes of lines 1 (the most used EMT line, with 5.2 million passengers per year), C1, C2, Nocturno, 36 and 37. More than 15,000 passengers use these lines daily.
The water supply breakdown incident happened at around 8.45pm on 25 March. Rivers formed on Calle Ferrándiz, Calle Hurtado de Mendoza and Calle Compás de la Victoria.
The incident on Calle Pedro de Quejana caused road damage. The Local Police immediately closed traffic in the area, which led to minor traffic jams.
Deteriorating network
Water supply in the area was not cut off these days, because the network has a double supply pipe.
The public water supply network in the area is old and deteriorated, as recent incidents show. In February last year, a sewer burst caused part of the road near Plaza de Alfonso XII to collapse, forcing road closures for a few days.
Years ago, a similar incident occurred on Calle Victoria, in front of the El Rescate chapel. It involved the historic Carretería sewer line, which Emasa has already repaired.
Similarly, the water supply systems in the Capuchinos and the Cristo de la Epidemia neighbourhoods have also undergone recent repairs.
