THE Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) administration has found itself in a predicament with regard to a contract it has awarded to Yogeshwar Bhola Construction Services for the construction of a new bridge at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara.
The project remains stalled as the contractor is still awaiting materials to commence works, Regional Chairman Julius Faerber told the Chronicle yesterday.
He commented via telephone that planks were placed across the open section to facilitate persons seeking to get across from one location to the next.
However, he opined that this arrangement could prove dangerous to children, who would need parental or other assistance to get across the planks. Some rails are still there, he nevertheless assured.
Faerber said the contractor, of Yogeshwar Bhola Construction Services, was supposed to have already started works on the bridge. The “embarrassing” situation is that he is still waiting on materials to begin, the Chairman said.
According to residents, the planks from the bridge have been dismantled but nothing further has been done.
In addition, residents are reportedly upset that the bridge has been out of order for over nine months and are questioning the wisdom of the contractor dismantling the bridge when he has not yet acquired the required materials.
The Uitvlugt Bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic since December last, due to its deplorable state and has reportedly caused severe inconvenience since it is the key bypass to the Ocean View Housing Scheme.
Meanwhile, the other access bridge, though in a deplorable state as well, is accommodating all of the traffic, including heavy-duty vehicles, much to the severe inconvenience of the public.
However, because it is made of wood and due to the volume of traffic, it would have to be repaired with millions of taxpayers’ dollars annually.
Some concerned citizens said a logical solution would be to build a modern, concrete, heavy-duty replacement with a walkway to cater for children and other pedestrians. (TELESHA PERSAUD)