After years in the pipeline, a US$106.3 million contract was yesterday signed between the government and Indian company Ashoka Build Con for a road link between Ogle, East Coast Demerara and Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and it could be finished in two years.
The four-lane thoroughfare will be built from the intersection of the Ogle Airstrip Road and the Rupert Craig Highway (ECD) towards Haags Bosch, Eccles, EBD.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar said that the project would see the construction of a 7.8-kilometre, four-lane road, with each lane being 3.6 meters wide. In addition to a median, the road will also feature sidewalks and supporting structures. Another feature of the road will be a connector to the Eccles access road.
The road, Indar said, will be of tremendous benefit to commuters who wish not travel through the city and will also ease the traffic congestion.
“As you know the traffic in the country, the volume is becoming more and more so we are addressing that from a long-term planning perspective… so that persons who want to go to the airport don’t have to go through the city they can take an alternative route,” Indar said.
Construction of the road is expected to commence by August at the end of the rainy period, Ashoka Build Con Director Ashish Kataria said. Though the project is scheduled to be completed in 24 months, the contractor was challenged to complete works before the stipulated deadline.
This will be the first major project for the company in Guyana and Kataria said they are assessing future opportunities here in the emerging infrastructural and oil and gas sector here.
“It is a very special project for us and we are very optimistic to be able to complete this road in a timely manner with the highest standards. That is what we are recognised for in our country. We are ISO 9000 Certified…” Kataria said.
Asked about local content and job opportunities, the Director stated that his company is very open to hiring locals and training persons in road construction.
“We would be more than happy to not just engage locals but also to train locals … There is so much highway construction to be done in this country… this country is very big and they are going to need a lot of skilled hands for that so we will be more than open to employ services of individuals and companies…” the company director stated.
When the project was revived in 2020 following President’s Irfaan Ali ascension to office, bids were invited and Ashoka Build Con won. The offering of a 5 per cent discount on its original bid price made the company the best choice for the project.
The total cost for the construction is US$106,377,380. While government will be accessing a US$50 million line of credit from the Indian EXIM Bank it has to come up with the remainder.
Meanwhile, the government will next week sign a contract to the tune of US$3.2 million with another Indian company, RITES Limited. The company will provide supervisory and consultation services during the construction of the road.
Phase One
Delivering brief remarks at the contract signing and sod-turning ceremony, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said that it is the intent to take the bypass road all the way to the Cheddi Jagan Inter-national Airport, Timehri, EBD.
“This artery that will be constructed here… This is just phase one. And in that linkage, there’ll be a number of connector routes that will bring us to what is traditionally known as the East Bank road. Building of this four-lane in the first instance (is) to connect at the Haags Bosch road and then to get further into Diamond and then further into the airport,” he explained.
Touching on the revitalizing of the project, Edghill said technical officers from his ministry and the Indian High Commission worked tirelessly to have a procurement contract in place.
He stated that all procurement laws and procedures were followed and they were able to select a reputable company.
On this note, he charged Askoka Build Con to make their mark in Guyana by delivering a high quality product on par with international standards. He also urged them to hire as many locals as they can and build relations with residents from communities such as Ogle and Goedverwagting who are likely to be affected during the start of the construction phase.
“We want you to make your mark. We want you to do well. We want to get this road in a timely manner. We want you to engage as many locals that you can engage. We want you to hire as many locals that you can hire. And we want to ensure that while you work, you have good community relations,” Edghill charged.
In the same breath, Edghill called on residents of the communities to be patient and careful in relation to works in it startup phase. It is expected that in the commencement phase there will be mobilization of large machinery which will come with significant noise.
The minister stated that once they get past the
residential section and enter the open “no man’s land” they will be able to accelerate construction and get a lot done.
The Minister told the gathering they are witnessing “the beginning of the execution of a major transformational project…”
“We have moved Guyana forward… You cannot eat roads, but routes make us eat. And if anybody do any research, you cannot transform and modernize a country without putting in road infrastructure,” he underscored.
India’s High Commissioner to Guyana Dr. K. J. Srinivasa said that he was elated to see the project closer to fruition.
“This project which was envisaged almost 7-8 years back during the presidency of former President Donald Ramotar and his Excellency the current president was the housing minister. This line of credit was approved by the government of India and as they say better late than never, today we are ready to sign this contract so that this road can be built in the near future,” he said.
He added that the Indian Government has been actively working with the government of Guyana to execute various projects.
“We are working very closely with the government to ensure that work continues successfully and progresses smoothly on several development partnership assistance projects as we call them which includes, of course, this road. Then we have the North West Ferry… We are working with the government for upgrade of health facilities of regional hospitals at a cost of around US$17.5 million. Drainage pumps worth around US$4 million dollars, solar energy installation in about 30,000 households at the cost of around US$7.3 million and a solar electrification of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with a budget outlay of around US$2.5 million,” the High Commissioner said.
The High Commissioner also challenged the contractors to go above and beyond and deliver the road in a timely manner to the Guyanese people.
In January 2015, then-president Donald Ramotar during a visit to India, had received a US$50 million line of credit commitment from the Indian Exim Bank to fund the road project. After taking office in 2020, the PPP/C-led government amended the design of the proposed Ogle to Diamond bypass road to bring the project costs in line with the funds made available by the Indian government.
Ramotar was in attendance yesterday to witness the contract signing and participated in the sod turning exercise.
According to Ashoka’s website, the company is a full-service contractor and industry leader, with the expertise to execute any scale of project within a limited time span. It boasts over 35 years of experience with some of India’s most challenging and complex projects.
Former President Donald Ramotar (second from left) along with Ministers of Public Works Juan Edghill, Deodat Indar, India’s High Commissioner Dr. K. J. Srinivasa and Ashoka Build Con director Ashish Kataria turning the ground at Mile Zero, Ogle for the construction of the road. (Photo by Orlando Charles)
