BY Leroy Smith

THE Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) has embarked on apparently urgent works on the drainage system along Vlissengen Road, between Durban and Princess Streets, to alleviate flooding in that area.

The Chronicle on Thursday encountered MPI engineers mingling with their counterparts from the contracting firm, carrying out preparatory works along one section of the project’s right of way. Speaking with this publication, Engineer Dwayne Roland who is responsible for the works, explained that the contract had been in the pipeline for some time, but could not be executed because funds were not available.
He explained that funds are now available through the 2015 budget, hence works have commenced.
The contract for the project, being funded by the MPI at a cost of Gy$12M, has been awarded to the Mohamed Ramzanalli Khan Construction Company, which won the bid after the works had been advertised.
Roland gave the assurance that the contractor has the requisite experience and expertise to deliver top-quality work. He said the project is expected to run for three months, but could be completed in time for Christmas and still be of good quality. The works, he said, are being supervised by the MPI.

Roland said the drain — approximately three feet, two inches wide and approximately four feet deep — would be fully concreted and be outfitted with wooden covers.
“We see the need to extend this drainage network in this area, given the situation of flooding whenever it rains, and also because drainage is very important. This road also is a man carriageway, and if you look at this area, we had to deal with it as a priority area. It has been in the pipeline for some time now, but the monies were not available. We have it now, so we decided to look at it,”

Roland explained.
In order to facilitate acceptable work on the project, several walkways and bridges had to be dismantled, but their replacement has been budgeted for.
Roland said that based on an assessment of that portion of Vlissengen Road between Norton and Princes streets, nine driveways and three walkways would have to be reconstructed after drainage works have been completed.

Some slight adjustments would also have to be made to the initial scope of works in order to accommodate additional tasks that need to be done, he disclosed. Those tasks were discovered after the team of engineers had visited the location and had comprehensively assessed the work that needed to be undertaken. Those additional undertakings would, however, not have impacting influence on the cost of the entire project, he explained.
The Chronicle understands that the MPI also plans to do some work on that stretch of Vlissengen Road, but that work cannot be financed from the budget that presently exists to deal with the drains.
“We are going to cast back all the driveways and walkways for the residents. As you can see, it is a very tight area, and we will have to put a lot of care into what we do here. We have issued some notices to the residents, because we understand the nature of the area,” Roland explained.
It is not anticipated that the presence of utilities would stymie progression of the works, as the buried utilities were mainly service connections belonging to the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). However, one cable suspected to belong to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company was noticed, but its position would likely not affect or disrupt progression of the works.
The MPI expects to continue similar works along Cemetery Road in the new year. Work is also expected to be performed on the bridge located at the junction of Princess Street and Vlissengen Road.