Government has allocated a total of $25.6 billion for the construction and upgrading of roads and bridges this year.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh told the National Assembly on Friday during his presentation of government’s proposed 2021 budget that $23.7 billion will be spent on roads and $1.9 billion on bridges.
“Mr. Speaker, over the next few years, a major transformation will be witnessed in our country’s roads and bridges network, creating new corridors for development in the agro-industrial, light manufacturing, commercial and tourism sectors, paving the way for massive residential housing development, and easing congestion,” he said. He noted that $3.5 billion has been allocated for the commencement of the Linden to Mabura Hill Road and tenders will be launched in the first quarter of this. Additionally, a sum of $150 million has been budgeted for sectional rehabilitation of the Linden–Soesdyke Highway.