SOME 200 additional workers, engineers will be added to workforce of the ongoing construction of the New Demerara River Bridge, expediting the construction of the main spans of the massive crossing.
This was revealed during an impromptu visit and inspection by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, at the eastern side of the massive infrastructure, on Tuesday.

During the early morning visit, the contractor, China Railway Construction (International) Limited, updated the President on measures taken to ensure timely completion. This includes an addition of the 200 highly-skilled specialists.
The Head of State, however, expressed concerns with the pace of the auxiliary works being done, and urged the varying contractors and engineers tasked with completing these to not operate in silos.
Spanning approximately 2.65 kilometres with a driving surface width of around 23.6 metres, the bridge will feature two carriageways and four lanes.

Its design includes a cable-stay structure for the high span, expected to have a vertical clearance of approximately 50 metres above the mean highest watermark.
Additionally, the bridge will incorporate cycling lanes and other amenities, ensuring a modern and efficient crossing for motorists and cyclists alike.

President Ali also pointed to the government’s efforts in building out and rehabilitating auxiliary roads with the aim of creating multiple networks for free-flowing travel.
“They are going to connect to the main roads. That is why we build that Haggs Bosch Highway all the way to ogle.
“So you have four ways which you can connect all the way to Ogle and the same thing to go to Buzz Bee Dam,” President Ali continued.

According to a February report from the Ministry of Public Works, construction stands at 81.6 per cent completed.
The project remains on schedule for its August 31, 2025, deadline.

Significant advancements have been made on the east and west approach bridges, the cable-stayed main bridge and general site infrastructure.
Precast girder installation stands at 24 per cent on the eastern and 32 per cent on the western half, with steady progress in reinforcement installation and pile foundation work for the remaining substructure. Drilled shafts are fully completed on the west and 93 per cent on the east.
The main tower P34 is 87 per cent complete at P35 is 84 per cent completed. The 50-metre section of the eastern approach roadway is 60 per cent complete, while the western approach roadway is 46 per cent complete.

Additionally, the construction of the cable-stayed bridge (CSB) decks for segments P34 and P35 has reached an overall completion of 5.1 per cent.
Of the $260.85 million budgeted for the massive project, approximately 66.26 per cent of the contract sum has been expended, the ministry said last month.