Government has urged the contractors building the $1.8 billion Georgetown to East Coast Demerara (ECD) mid-town highway connecting the East Coast highway to Dennis Street and Dennis Street to Sheriff Street, to put more effort into completing the project by August, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI).
During an impromptu inspection of the project yesterday, President Irfaan Ali, and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, urged that the project be speeded up, so that travel time could be cut, DPI said.
However, the president said quality must not be compromised.
“The idea here is the holistic solution to the traffic and the efficiency of the transport system…. So, this four-lane was started, and it will be [constructed] horizontally across Georgetown, so it becomes a mid-town kind of highway that connects all the traffic from Sheriff Street to the Demerara River, and from the left side going all the way back to Conversation Tree, and linking onto the East Coast,” President Ali explained at the site.
“I know some people are facing tremendous difficulties…. I just want you to understand the magnitude of work that is going on to transform the urban centres, to improve the traffic flow and the efficiency, and to enhance the value of these areas.
“The level of use of these internal roads has increased tremendously too because people are trying to avoid traffic, and it’s a danger. So, this also improves the safety. So, it’s not just social impact, it’s not just economic impact… it’s the valuation and infrastructure of the area,” Ali said.
Minister Indar highlighted that enhancements are ongoing to connect Campbell Avenue, to Owen Street and a few others, which will assist in spreading traffic throughout communities in Georgetown, DPI said.
Works on the mid-town highway will entail the construction of a four-lane carriageway from the East Coast Highway to Delhi Street. A double-lane carriageway will also be erected on the reserve west of Delhi Street, to form the two lanes for northbound traffic.
Concrete revetments are also being done between the East Coast Demerara Highway and Railway Embankment, along with concrete drains on both sides of the proposed roadway between railway embankment and Delhi Street. Construction of two large concrete bridges to connect to Dennis Street is also part of the project, DPI said.
The project was split into two lots: Lot 8 A of the project is being executed by S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc., to the tune of $$1,066, 358,738, while Lot 8 B was awarded to Trinidad company, Kallco Guyana Inc., to the amount of $830,293,458.