In addition to significantly reducing the traffic congestion faced daily by commuters on the East Bank Demerara, the new Diamond to Mocha interlink road will open up between 300-400 acres of land for industrial and commercial development, President Irfaan Ali said yesterday morning.
Addressing a small gathering at the sunrise opening, Ali played up the $5B alternative route as the start of significant development for the East Bank Corridor.
“This area will be a reservoir for job creation,” Ali said.
The road had been conceptualised under the then PPP/C government in 2013. Ali upon assuming office in August 2020 instructed that the project be rolled out.
The road link which was scheduled to open to the public in April of this year was delayed to allow the construction of a critical bridge between the Mocha Access Road and Herstelling. The rapid rollout of the project is due to the fact that there is an immediate need to ease the congestion on the East Bank Corridor, President Ali had stated during a tour of the construction earlier this year.
The Guyana Police Force yesterday said commuters traversing the road daily will benefit from the anti-crime police patrols.
In a statement on Facebook, the force said the road is set to facilitate small vehicles only and will enable one-way traffic north (Diamond to Eccles) with full traffic police escort from 6 am – 10 am and from 3 pm to – 10 pm one-way traffic south (Eccles to Diamond). Normal two-way traffic will flow from 10 am to 3 pm.
“When we left office the foundation for the road was completed. For five years nothing happened and we came back and completed the project,” Ali stated as he pleaded with road users to practice safety at all times and be responsible road users.
Ali stated that some $16B will be spent on the upgrading and construction of the alternative road network. He explained further that works on the Mandela Avenue to Eccles section of the road, which is currently being constructed is expected to be completed at the end of this year.
In January, construction work for a new road link between Eccles and Diamond will commence. The site for the road has been cleared and now paves the way for the construction of a concrete-surface road.
“We are now in the process of awarding a contract to widen and reinforce the Eccles link that would be connected to the Mandela link in the meantime… now while that is going on we are looking at expanding the Eccles Road to the East Coast corridor. So, there’s the new expansion from Ogle that will also start next year that initially will come to Eccles, and then connect further on to Diamond, and then to Timehri,” Ali said, referring to a long-planned India-funded project.
In a warning to contractors, he said that his government is serious about works being completed by their deadlines.
Rebuffing Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal’s comment, in which he implied that with the commissioning of the road the ministry was bringing down the curtain on this year’s capital works, Ali sternly said it is not so.
“No curtain is coming down, there is still a lot of work to be done… it is coming down to the end of the year and we are working throughout the rest of the year… there is too much to get done in too little time,” Ali stated.
He said that contractors have already been told that their “Christmas parties” will be held at their project sites.
“As we continue for the rest of the year we have two more weeks of aggressive work. We will stop on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and go hard again,” Ali said.
The Head of State pointed out that this new road is “one with major difference” and will be equipped with smart cameras and three police outposts. He stated that amendments to the traffic legislation will soon be laid in parliament to enable the usage of the cameras and stronger enforcement against those who fail to comply with the law.
The President warned drivers against speeding on the new thoroughfare.
“This is not intended to be a race track. Those who want to do racing, do so safely by signing up with the Guyana Motor Racing and go have fun on the circuit safely”, he said, pointing out that only a certain class of vehicles will be allowed on the roadway.
Addressing truck drivers who have the tendency to dismantle and remove barriers on roadways, Ali said such actions will have consequences.
“…the big trucks you will see barriers. If you think it is your responsibility to take down the barrier because you want to break the law there will be consequences and you will face consequences,” Ali declared. The road has been constructed to accommodate mainly passenger vehicles.
Aware that some residents of the surrounding communities are utilizing the road to exercise and keep fit, Ali said he has already instructed the Ministry of Housing and Water’s Director of Projects, Omar Narine to look at the possibility of converting a section of the reserve to a jogging lane.
Croal pointed out that some 18,000 residents along the corridor will be positively impacted by the opening of the new road and bridge.
The road construction was undertaken by three contracting firms – Annirud Ramcharitar Construction, Guyamerica Construction Inc and Bardon Construction. Each contractor was awarded lots. The cost of the road includes lighting.
