The Demerara Harbour Bridge has been rendered inoperable after a vessel, MV Tradewind Passion, collided with the bridge, a statement by President Irfaan Ali said this morning.
A joint team of Government and Private Sector officials, including Ministers, are on the ground working to restore normalcy in the shortest possible time.
An assessment is ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage. As soon as this assessment is completed, the public will be updated, he said.
This is the second such incident within weeks.
The Ministry of Public Works has issued the following release:
The Demerara Harbour Bridge is now closed to vehicular traffic, this is due to the bridge experiencing structural damage when a fuel tanker crashed into the bridge in the wee hours of Saturday.
At this time there is no indication as to when the bridge will reopen to vehicular traffic, however, even as our Technical Team is still conducting damage assessments, repair works have already started.
The Management of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC), apologises to the traveling public for this inconvenience, and urges persons to use alternative routes.
The posibility of using barges to ferry vehicles between Georgetown and the West Bank Demerara is currently being explored, and advice will be given on the ground. For persons who must travel this route, you are asked to utilise the water taxis.
As for those needing to use the East Bank Highway beyond the Princess Hotel, you are urged to use the Mandela/ Eccles Road Links to avoid the current congestion at the DHB.
Updates will be made as information comes to hand.
