— works on $13B Eccles to Diamond Four-Lane Highway progressing as planned; to be completed within 18 months

HOUSING and Water Minister, Collin Croal said commuters are expected to benefit from further relief soon as works are progressing, as planned, on the new $13 billion Eccles to Diamond Four-Lane Highway.

Recently, the government commissioned the massive $2.3 billion Mandela to Eccles Four-Lane Highway, which was designed to significantly reduce traffic congestion on the East Bank of Demerara.

The $13 billion project, which has been divided into 12 lots, includes the construction of more than 30 reinforced concrete bridges, two roundabouts and a total of 9.4 Km of reinforced concrete road. It has an 18-month timeline for completion.

The Housing Minster had reported that since being elected to office, the government has expended some $6.8 billion on infrastructural works on the EBD corridor alone, in areas such as Providence, Prospect, Little Diamond and Great Diamond, with the new highway complementing those works.

“2022 will see even more investments in the housing sector. Our government has committed more than $27.5 billion for infrastructure works on the EBD corridor that will include Great Diamond, Golden Grove, Little Diamond, and new openings for commercial lands on the east bank. And this also includes the continuation of the construction of the four-lane highway from Eccles to Great Diamond, which is already in progress,” the Housing Minister said.

These new developments have been directly linked to the unlocking of massive lands for housing developments within Region Four. Just recently, Minister Croal speaking about the spinoff benefits of the Mandela – Eccles highway, said that it has unlocked massive lands for development.

This means that major housing developments are expected to continue across the EBD.

Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves, had told the Guyana Chronicle that the Ministry of Housing and Water has started developing 5,000 new house lots in communities along the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) corridor,
Those lands, which will soon be available for allocation, are in Little Diamond, Great Diamond, and Prospect.

Greaves’ comment followed a recent announcement by Minister Collin Croal that 5,000 new house lots will be available along the EBD.

Minister Croal, who was at the time addressing persons gathered for the commissioning of the $2.3 billion Mandela-Eccles Four-Lane Highway, said: “The acquisition of new lands and the execution of critical infrastructural projects will pave the way for the allocation of a minimum of 5,000 new house lots in 2022 on the East Bank corridor.”

This is in addition to the spinoff benefits of the new four-lane highway, which, according to Greaves, will be used for government offices and commercial purposes.

Since assuming office in 2020, the government has already allocated some 11,000 house lots.