ON a daily basis, hundreds of pedestrians use the overpass at the Demerara Habour Bridge, some even directed to do so by traffic ranks, but the Public Infrastructure Ministry is advising pedestrians to desist from doing so until the overpasses on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) are formally commissioned.

In her first interview for 2018, Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, said that the pedestrian overpasses on the East Bank of Demerara are in the final stage of completion and citizens are instructed to stay clear of the facilities.
“The works are still in progress, so for one to be using the overpasses without the ministry declaring its completion or its commission for it be used is no,” Minister Ferguson said on Tuesday.

Her instruction not to utilise the overpasses comes days after a Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) man, Navin Surujpaul, took his own life by jumping off the pedestrian overpass at Diamond on December 30. Minister Ferguson called the incident unfortunate.

“Guyanese always love to test things, so you know with what happened there is unfortunate that the gentleman would have used that facility to take his own life…when that facility is not intended for that. It is intended to get pedestrians from the western end to the eastern end and vise-versa,” the junior Public Infrastructure Minister said.

Minister Ferguson is appealing to the public that when the three overpasses are commissioned, to use the facilities with care, caution and consideration. The Houston, Providence and Diamond overpasses are likely to be completed by February, 2018.
Earlier last year, Minister of State Joseph Harmon had announced that a US$364,000 contract was awarded for the pedestrian overpass at Diamond and a US$1M contract for those at Houston, Peter’s Hall and at Eccles.

Contracts for the construction of overpasses at Houston, Eccles and Peter’s Hall were awarded to B&J Civil Works, whilst those at Providence and Diamond were awarded to S Jagmohan Hardware. Between 2018 and 2020, overpasses will also be built on the East Coast and West Bank of Demerara.