INDIA’S External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was on Saturday given a guided tour of the ongoing construction site of the US$106.4 million East Bank-East Coast Road Linkage Project, which is expected to become a major transportation hub in the region.
Dr. Jaishankar, whose three-day visit to Guyana comes to an end today, was given a first-hand view of the massive road project by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar, as well as the Indian delegation which included the Chief Scientist and Head of the International S&T Affairs Directorate of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr. Rama Swami Bansal. India’s High Commissioner to Guyana Dr. K.J. Srinivasa was also part of the delegation.
The project is set to enhance the current road network from the East Coast to the East Bank, extending all the way south to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, where the new Silica City will be established.
The contractor is Ashoka Buildcon Limited, an Indian company, and, once completed, the main thoroughfare will accommodate four-lane traffic that stretches 7.7km.
During the tour, Ashoka’s coordinator Aditya Parakh, gave an overview of the project.
“India has emerged as a nation with world-class infrastructure development capabilities; leveraging this expertise for the completion of prestigious infrastructure projects in Guyana is a win-win scenario for both nations. The exchange of knowledge, technology, skill, employment generation and other resources during this construction will facilitate socio-economic growth,” Parakh said.
He said the company is using new environmental technology, which enhances soil permeability and hastens settling. It speeds up building, and reduces cost, because the soil consolidates more quickly, because the water drainage path is shortened.
There are currently 341 employees and some 116 equipment and machinery being used on the project.
According to Parakh, one of the challenges to completing the project on time is high inflation in the Guyanese economy, leading to abnormal surges in all prices and shortages, and the lack of air connectivity for the movement of personnel. Other challenges include up to four months of shipping time for goods and equipment from India, and acquisition and utility issues.
In June 2022, a contract worth US$106.4 million was signed for the construction of the first phase of the ECD to EBD Road Linkage Project. The project is expected to be completed within 24 months, with an additional 10 months for the defect’s liability period.
The first phase of the road will be a four-lane highway spanning 7.8 kilometres, with each lane measuring 3.6 meters wide. The road will also include a median, sidewalks, and other structures.
The government’s overarching infrastructure plan is to improve connectivity not just within Guyana, but also between the country and its neighbouring nations, Suriname and Brazil.
This road will serve as a critical link from the Eugene F. Correia International Airport to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at Timehri, in addition to a corridor for communities on the East Bank, including Perseverance, Mocha, Providence, Eccles, and Peter’s Hall.
It will also provide a bypass from the city, where most traffic flows daily, resulting in massive congestion and major delays. In addition to improving connectivity, the construction of this important piece of infrastructure will also open up more land for housing, agriculture, and industrial development.
The idea behind the new ECD-EBD road link was conceptualised by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government in 2014, and is set to transform transportation in the region.
