FOLLOWING the collapse of a section of a wooden walkway on the Wismar- Mackenzie bridge, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), authorities have begun discussions for comprehensive repairs, with technical support and expertise being provided from the Ministry of Public Works.

This was according to National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) RK Sharma, in an invited comment to the Guyana Chronicle.
He said the collapse was likely due to the long-term misuse of the wooden infrastructure.
“What I can tell you, we are in discussion with the Ministry of Public Works to have technical support and expertise to oversee a comprehensive repair of that walkway and that, of course, would ensure that you don’t have such a reoccurrence,” Sharma said.

He said: “It’s a combination of the misuse of that very walkway, that was always meant to be a walkway, unfortunately, it should have been strictly enforced and only pedestrians should have used that walkway. Unfortunately, cyclists, motor cyclists, etc…, have been using it and in the process, there would have been some element of deterioration that would have occurred. It’s really not meant to carry that kind of traffic and weight.”

He noted that as repairs take shape, there will be a greater need for reinforcement, ensuring that vehicle users adhere to the proper use of the infrastructure, preventing heavy traffic along the designated area for pedestrians.

The section of the bridge collapsed around 18:27hrs on Sunday evening, while an adult and child were riding an electric bike along the path. The two were swiftly rescued by public-spirited persons. They were subsequently taken to the Linden Hospital Complex. Sharma confirmed that the duo was discharged after extensive observations.
The government is constructing a new four-lane Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge in the vicinity of the existing one.