The plans of the Public Infrastructure Ministry to construct yet another roundabout at the Timehri junction has been halted to facilitate the removal of utility poles and wires.
This was on Wednesday related by the Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson.
She disclosed, “The one at the (Cheddi Jagan International) Airport we had some issues with utility poles, GTT to be specific, so that roundabout too is still on the pipeline”.
She nevertheless assured that preliminary works on the structure have begun, which includes the removal of those poles. “We will see the commencement of the civil component I guess before the end of the year,” Ferguson stated.
The contract for the project was awarded to Gaico Construction earlier in the year at the sum of $74 million.
Works reportedly begun on the Timehri roundabout back in June of this year, while the Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson commissioned the $78.9 million Kitty roundabout, which was constructed by S Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction Services.
Minister Patterson had announced plans to construct two roundabouts, with the inclusion of the Timehri structure. The other is expected to be erected on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown.
The structures are being constructed with the hope of easing traffic congestion and wastage of time at the peak locations.
The Mandela Avenue roundabout will be erected during the government’s $6.4Billion road upgrade project.
Many had questioned the costly roundabout project and its outcome, since most commuters were scared to use the facility at first.
So far, there have been at least two accidents recorded at the Kitty round about, although the Ministry would have invested in creating tutorials for the safe use of the roundabout.
