The Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) had earlier this year decided to close the Demerara Harbour Bridge to all marine and vehicular traffic for approximately five days in order to change panels thereon, but those works have had to be postponed because the panels require fabrication to increase their strength.
General Manager of the DHBC, Rawlston Adams, last Friday made this disclosure and noted that the panels, upon inspection, were deemed below the DHBC’s requirement at this time.
The Demerara Harbour Bridge
“What we recognise is that we need to fabricate some of those panels. We thought that initially we would be able to reuse some of the old panels that we would have salvaged; but in the review and planning, we’ve realized that those panels are not suitable enough in terms of the strength,” Adams explained.
Adams said that for any of the present panels to be reusable, there is need for them to be fabricated — a process not employed in Guyana on the dimension of panels situated on the bridge.
“So what we’ve decided to do is fabricate. And because of the fact that the panels need to be galvanized, galvanization for panels that big is not done in Guyana, so we have to send (them) overseas. We’re working to get quotations to source those panels,” he explained.
A new date for the pending work will be set when the fabricated panels return. Asked if the panels will be changed by the end of this year, Adams answered in the affirmative.
“The fact that we cannot announce a date is contingent upon the timings of the return of those panels. We have been monitoring the situation in respect to the areas where the panels have to be changed. Once we get a firm word on when the panels will be returned, then is when we will announce those works; but those works need to be executed,” Adams declared.
There are other areas of the bridge which require rehabilitative works. However, the main focus of the company is to have the panels replaced.
In addition to this project, the DHBC is working on the rehabilitation of six large and 15 regular pontoons; the fabrication of 40 buoys, 20,000 feet of galvanized anchor chain and 30,000 feet of wire rope; and the rehabilitation of the traffic office for this year. These works are expected to cost some $267 million.
