The deadline for the completion of the new Demerara River Bridge has been extended by five months, following a meeting between President Dr. Irfaan Ali, Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill and the contractor.
In an invited comment, Minister Edghill told reporters on Thursday that “we have some construction that needs to be done but you just can’t shorten the time [because] you have to have curing time for concrete.”
He added, “and we have gone through everything and we have agreed on a time schedule of nothing beyond August 31.”
The bridge is being constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited to the tune of US$260 million, with supervisory firm, Politecnica.
At a press conference on Thursday, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo noted that the delays associated with the bridge will not have any cost overrun.
“For me, a few months delay is not fatal,” he added.
The Vice President noted that the benefits to be accrued from the bridge outweighs any negativity being pedaled relating to its delay.
“By building that concrete four lane bridge and allowing free movement without tolls, we’ve suddenly created the conditions for the industrialisation of Region Three because already we’ve run out of room for the industrialisation in Region Four,” he explained.
The Vice President noted that the bridge also opens opportunities for a shorebase, a wharf and other facilities to be built in Region Three since the restriction of movement to other regions will be removed.
The bridge is in an advanced stage of completion and will replace the decades-old floating bridge across the Demerara River connecting Regions Three and Four.
