$605M road built to last 20 years, crumbling again after three years

Jun 27, 2017 News

The three-year-old $605M La Parfaite Harmonie Access Road – touted to last some

Some of the potholes along the three-year-old La Parfaite Harmonie Access Road

20 years – is once again crumbling.
The link located on the West Bank of Demerara, over the past few months has developed potholes and drivers are calling for an immediate intervention from the authorities.
There are over 10 potholes, with one as wide as three feet.
The lack of streetlights is also adding to these concerns, since drivers have to come to a dead-stop before diverting onto the other lane.
Almost a year ago, this newspaper carried an article captioned, “Road built to last 20 years crumbles in 20 months.” This particular article caused a few raised eyebrows.
One of the contractors that carried out works on the link, Gaico Construction, began carrying out remedial works on the structure a day later. The company would have affected repairs to the link with no cost to government, this publication was told.
The Managing Director Komal Singh had responded immediately after the photograph of a pothole and the article was published.
Singh had noted that the road would have been constructed during the rainy season and tractors were traversing on the roadway with mud. Singh added that in some cases, this happened immediately after paving was completed.
“We had to allow the farmer to reap his rice and prepare his land and at the same time, we were under pressure to get the job done. Animals were also trampling on the road immediately after the workers would have paved the road,” Singh had stated.
He told Kaieteur News that some 99% of the road is structurally sound and shows no sign of any failure.
Singh intimated that the defects liability period is up, however he had pledged to look over the road for some ten years as part of his company’s policy.
BK International would have also carried out works on the road.
Yesterday, a BK vehicle was seen in the area presumably carrying out inspection. The shoulders of the road also appeared to be cleared.
The highway was opened to vehicular traffic on September 6, 2014.
According to a plaque at the eastern end of the thoroughfare, it was commissioned by the former President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar and former Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News