WORKERS from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure assisted by those from the Demerara Harbour Bridge have commenced extensive works on the Liliendaal/Pattensen bridge on the Railway Embankment and the works are expected to be completed by Monday, weather permitting.The Guyana Chronicle yesterday paid a visit to the site where workers were busy dismantling a section of the bridge to effect the removal of eight broken diamond panels. The works are expected to cost the Government of Guyana just over $12.3 Million.
Morris Alfred, a welding foreman attached to the Demerara Harbour Bridge, explained yesterday that the works had to be carried out since the broken panel of the structure, which has been in place since 2000, was likely to buckle under pressure.
The preliminary works have been estimated to cost $2.3 Million and will be executed by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure while the other works are to be carried out by the Demerara Harbour Bridge, running over $10 Million.
The works to be carried out on the structure will include the removal and replacing of the diamond panels, pile driving, replacing of the asphalt on the structure and other fine works.
The works which started on Tuesday this week saw the closing off of the Railway Embankment between Conversation Tree to the west and the University of Guyana Road to the east.
Asked about the completion of the works on schedule, the foreman explained that they were forced to be on and off due to the rains but he is still confident that the deadline would be met as the most tedious task was the removal and replacing of the panels.
Asked about the integrity of the other bridges along the Railway Embankment the foreman said that the other bridges are not in a critical state as the one presently under construction. According to Alfred it was only last week that some routine works were conducted on bridges further up the East Coast Demerara between Beterverwagting and Buxton, mainly fixing several decks.
The closure of the road between Conversation Tree and University of Guyana has caused a major challenge to traffic management on the East Coast Demerara where the Railway Embankment road between Agriculture Road and Sheriff Street has been used as a one way to bring traffic from the upper East Coast.
Additionally the closure has also affected the easy access to persons going to the CARICOM Secretariat, the International Conference Centre and other areas, including the University of Guyana.

By Leroy Smith