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Nine foreign contractors shortlisted to build new Demerara Bridge
The aging Demerara Harbour Bridge.
Kaieteur News – Nine contractors have been shortlisted by the Ministry of Public Works to bid for the construction of the new four-lane, high span bridge across the Demerara River.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, gave the confirmation on Monday last, when he said that 9 were selected from the 42 companies that had responded to the Government’s invitation for Expressions of Interest for the construction of the new bridge.
He told a Globespan24X7 live broadcast that the administration is currently engaged in discussions with the shortlisted bidders on the next step before a final bidding by October 21, to have a final agreement signed.
The new bridge, he said, is expected to begin construction by the end of the year and that “we are hoping that by October 2023, we should see that bridge being completed.”
According to the Minister, the government has had to shore up its proposal in more accurate details with the prospective contractors and that this has been completed and that the administration is satisfied it has all of the required details for the bridge to move ahead with the project.
A source close to the project has since confirmed that each of the companies shortlisted are foreign, since local companies do not have the capacity to undertake such a project.
It was noted too that with the project going out to tender shortly in its second round of bidding, the Ministry would at that time look to secure an Engineering Consultant for the project.
The Ministry in December last had begun an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the construction of a new bridge across the Demerara River, commissioned by the Ministry. This comes following an application by the Public Works Ministry’s Work Services Group.
This four-lane, high-span fixed bridge, which is commonly referred to as a “flyover bridge,” is set to be built with the lifespan of 50 years, and will not require opening or retraction to allow for maritime traffic. Notably, no costs for the project have yet been established.
The new four-lane bridge is expected to stimulate other key infrastructural projects that will lead to numerous spin-off benefits. One major project will be a four-lane highway from the new bridge on the Region Three end, Parika.
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