Massive interests from contractors for Eccles to Diamond Road

Several local construction companies have tendered bids to secure the contract to construct the
Eccles to Great Diamond Road-one, as works on the Mandela Avenue to Eccles Road continues.
It is expected that this highly anticipated roads will significantly offset traffic congestion on the
East Bank of Demerara.
At the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), during last week
tender opening, government received bids from companies including RK Concrete Guyana
Incorporated; BK International Incorporated; Toolsie Persaud Quarries Incorporated; K&P
Project Management; Samaroo’s Investment; JS Guyana Incorporated; Collin Talbot
Construction and Eron Lall Civil Engineering; and Puran Brothers Disposal among others.
It was noted that the bidding document stated that the second set of works on this four-lane
highway will be separated into 12 lots. Construction on each lot is set to last for 15 months.
Government said the Eccles to Great Diamond Road is one aspect of the massive transformation
of Guyana’s infrastructure. Therefore, the road is among a number of other road projects on
stream, including the Ogle to Diamond bypass road, which is also expected to further reduce the
traffic congestion on the East Bank public road. Government said that Guyanese can also expect
infrastructural transformation and huge spin-off benefits from the construction of a four-lane
highway in Region Three. They said that this will link the new and upgraded Demerara Habour
Bridge at La Grange to Parika.
Notably, the remodelled East Bank corridor is a direct link to His Excellency’s Dr. Mohamed
Irfaan Ali’s dream and vision of ‘Silica City’. “We have initiated discussions on having a new
area – a secondary city – developed. We are exploring this opportunity along the new four-lane
highway because we are already seeing the pressure on the city itself,” President Ali had said.
The President had also noted that as development and expansion continue, there will be more
occupation on the outskirts of Georgetown. He said that the country must be prepared for it. As a
result, government will be putting plans in place to ensure that such growth and development are
facilitated.
Ali had disclosed that the idea is not new, but was in the pipeline since he was Housing and
Water Minister years ago, when the concept of Silica City was introduced at a Building Expo.
“Now we have to think about the future, think about the floodplain, think about a natural
expansion of the city, the industrialisation that will take place,” he said. Ali added that
Government is looking at an area on the Linden- Soesdyke Highway to connect the new four-
lane road, which he said will act as a catalyst for development.