By Lazeena Yearwood
Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal says the four-lane highway from Schoonord, West Bank Demerara to Crane, West Coast Demerara, has a 16 months completion period after the contracts are awarded and signed.
During an interview with the News Room on Wednesday, Croal said that the project has a period deadline of 16 months for the eight lots, noting that each of the lots will be completed simultaneously.
Croal explained that the area for the highway is clear of houses.
“It’s an alignment that will fall [and] is free of encumbrances,” the Housing Minister noted.
President Irfaan Ali previously announced that the new four-lane highway will be about 3.5 miles in length, and will help to alleviate traffic in this particular area.
The Housing Ministry has since published ‘Invitation for Bids’ and there are already planned site visits for contractors to determine access, logistics and traffic management. The first visit will take place on June 15, 2022.
According to the advertisement published in the daily newspapers on Wednesday, there will be a powerpoint presentation on June 17, 2022, on the evaluation, criteria, environmental and social management requirements and all other pertinent information relating to filling out the bid.
“The purpose for that is for persons who are tendering, they’ll be able to have a visit with the technical team and they will be able to ensure that they are sure of where they are talking about,” the Housing Minister explained.
This highway is expected to be built before the proposed highway from the new Demerara River Bridge to Parika on the East Bank of Essequibo.
Croal lamented that the roads are a matter of urgency since it will significantly reduce traffic woes that most commuters face in Region Three.
He said the design is similar to what is being done in terms of the concrete roads.
Eligible bidders can submit bidding documents to the Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Ministry of Finance (North Eastern Building), Main and Urquhart Street, Georgetown, before 09:00hrs on June 13, 2022.
Interested bidders can obtain further information from the Ministry of Housing and Water, Central Housing and Planning Authority’s Cashier at Lot 41 Brickdam and United Nations Place, Georgetown.
