Latest update December 21st, 2024 12:40 AM
Intra Serve temporarily closes service
With heavy rainfall in the hinterland region, the Linden to Lethem Road is once again in a deplorable condition. Intra Serve, a bus service from Georgetown to Lethem, has Hunt Oil stretch flooded again- Temporarily closed its service from today having deemed the road impassable to their vehicles.
This is not the first time that Intra Serve has taken this decision. Last year during the rainy period the company was forced to close its operation. That resulted in revenue losses of approximately $6M. The entity stands to lose more this time, Paul Da Silva, Director of Maintenance, stated.
Like last year, the Hunt Oil stretch is flooded. Works that were done to that area are collapsing in the inclement weather, Da Silva said.
In addition, water from the mountains is being drained in the Savannah putting pressure on the structure.
He noted that the South Rupununi district which includes Kurupukari is under water making commute difficult.
Adding to the natural forces damaging the road, Da Silva stated that excavation that is being done to facilitate the fibre optic cable from Manaus, Brazil to Guyana is a contributing factor to the road’s condition.
He noted that one of the company’s buses was stuck in the manmade ditches for hours just the other day.
Da Silva said that cargo trucks can traverse the stretch without difficulty. As a matter of fact, the large trucks contribute to the continued deterioration of the road, he indicated.
Laxity of authorities not to implement a vehicle weight system has allowed cargo trucks to traverse the stretch and damage the road.
Da Silva pointed to the fact that only timber trucks leaving the area are weighed but trucks entering and leaving do not weigh.
He is fearful that the culverts which were installed last year when the creek crossings at 40 Miles and 42 Miles caved may not withstand the present condition.
Since the worsening condition of the road, more people are entering Lethem via air. He said that there are some 20 flights per week entering Lethem with Trans Guyana making 14 trips per week.
Government recently awarded three contracts totaling approximately $193M to carry out maintenance works on 265 miles of the Linden to Lethem roadway. Works in the Kurupukari area were supposed to commence on May 15.
However, Da Silva said that no work is in progress but added that the contractor maybe mobilising resources.
The Ministry has expended approximately $100M within last year to date in carrying out maintenance works along the roadway.
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