With the initial deadline passed, the Eccles to Diamond Four-Lane Highway on the East Bank of Demerara is now slated to be commissioned in time for the Christmas season.
And, with the emphasis being placed on getting the project completed, authorities are working to ensure that the quality of work produced is up to standard.
“We are expected to commission this phase, the second phase, before the end of this year.”
“From the first phase, there were a lot of lessons learnt and some of the contractors are working on this second phase. As much as we want this road commissioned as early as possible, especially in time for the Christmas season, we do not want to compromise the quality of work here.
“As such, as we are behind the contractors to get this road completed, we also want to ensure that the quality is up to standard,” Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water Susan Rodrigues told the News Room.
Rodrigues made this disclosure as she provided the News Room with an update on the project during a site visit on Tuesday.
The contract for the $13 billion project was awarded to 12 contractors in December 2021. The project was slated to be completed within 18 months, which would have been by April 2023.
However, by then, a number of issues arose. The contractor for one of the lots was terminated and some settlers from Mocha had to be relocated, hence the delay.
“This is Lot 2 and 4 of the Eccles to Diamond four-lane highway project…This is the second phase. A lot of this carriageway has been completed already.
“The reason we are behind with these two lots, is that one, we had to terminate and we had to retender one of the lots and the second lot – lot 4 – that was delayed because of the informal settlers we had to remove in the Mocha area…That’s why these contractors are now trying to catch up but we expect them to finish before the end of the year,” Rodrigues explained to the News Room.
Rodrigues said contractors are at a “critical” juncture of the project which has seen the closure of the Providence Access Road also known as ‘Red Road’ and Mocha Access Road.
The closure is to allow for the linkage of the two roads to the four-lane highway. This aspect is expected to be completed by November 17.
“This is a critical juncture that we are at right now. Most of the highway has been paved already. It’s just this connection that has to be done now,” Rodrigues said.
She added, “There is no break in between this. We are working through for these two weeks so that we can complete this link and get this road commissioned as soon as possible”.
The four-lane highway forms part of the alternative East Bank Demerara road link which is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion on the East Bank corridor.
“This will be a tremendous relief to those on the East Bank corridor…With this link now, you have an alternative to the East Bank road from Mandela all the way to Eccles and we already tendered and awarded the third phase which will go beyond Grove.
“So, you will be able to have an alternative route from Georgetown all the way out to Grove by the time this entire project is completed,” Rodrigues said.
