$13.3B contracts awarded to construct Eccles to Great Diamond four-lane highway

Within 15 to 18 months from today, residents along the East Bank can expect a new four-lane highway from Eccles to Great Diamond.  The Ministry of Housing and Water signed contracts with 12 contractors to commence the project. The total value of the contracts is $13.3 billion

The project which has been divided into twelve (12) lots includes, the construction of more than thirty (30) reinforced concrete bridges, two roundabouts and a total of 9.4 Km of reinforced concrete road. The estimated timeline for the project is 15 to 18 months.

The contracts were signed during a simple ceremony on Wednesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in the presence of Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, Minister within the Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, Permanent Secretary, Mr. Andre Ally, Central Housing and Planning Authority’s, Director of Operations, Mrs. Denise King-Tudor and Director of Projects, Mr. Omar Narine.

The Ministry in a statement said the contracts were awarded using the competitive bidding process, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board awarded the different lots for the project to the contractors.

[From left] Permanent Secretary, Mr. Andre Ally; Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal; and Hon. Susan Rodrigues, Minister within the Ministry of Housing & Water

Works will be executed by; GuyAmerica Construction Inc, V. Dalip Enterprise, (JV) Colin Talbot Contracting Services and Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works, S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc., H. Nauth and Sons, JS Guyana Inc., (JV) VALs Construction and AJM Enterprise, China Railway First Group Company Ltd., Aronco Services Inc., Ivor Allen, (JV) Puran Brothers Disposal Inc. and Khemraj Nauth Contracting Services.

On the occasion Minister Rodrigues in her remarks applauded the team of the Ministry of Housing and Water-Central Housing and Planning Authority for their part in realizing such a project. She noted that this along with other projects will bring great relief to the residents of the East Bank corridor.

“On Monday we commissioned the Eccles to Diamond inter-link road and the impact is already evident, as commute time on the East Bank has been reduced significantly and that is just a smaller project so it’s easy to see how this new project will impact the lives of our citizens,” the Minister noted.

Meanwhile, in his charge to the contractors, Minister Croal called on them to place emphasis on timeliness and quality.

“So ensure you put in place systems so that work can continue beyond the usual 08 to 4:30. Since you are using the local labour force, be sure to impress on them the importance of punctuality, avoid absenteeism and other unnecessary delays. I also want to remind you to treat your employees with respect, follow the labour laws and ensure that they are comfortable,” Minister Croal told the contractors.

He also reminded the contractors of the importance of workers’ safety and the need for adequate protective gear.

“To skimp on these can be to the detriment of the project and the welfare of your workers, be sure to cultivate a working relationship with the residents and communicate any inconveniences that may occur as a result of the work you are doing in a timely and respectful manner,” he noted.

The works include but are not limited to the construction of 9.4 km of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Roads, the construction of 12 No. Heavy Duty Bridges, culverts and 12 km of Drains.