Contract to upgrade Linden-Soesdyke Highway soon to be awarded – Pres Ali

– says Linden not left out of Guyana’s massive transformation

The contract for the upgrade of the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, which has attracted bids from both local and international firms, will soon be awarded, according to President Dr Irfaan Ali who was at the time addressing attendees at the 58th Independence Flag Raising Ceremony on Saturday evening.
The project is estimated to cost US$120 million.
“Soon, we will award the upgrade of the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, a project that will cost us US$120 million. We are looking also to develop the Timehri to Bartica link through the West Bank Demerara River from Sand Hill to Mokouria on the Essequibo River, crossing Monkey Jump to Bartica, some 44 kilometres of total alignment from Fall Mouth has already been cleared, but 10 kilometres upgraded to a fair-weather loam road,” President Ali explained.

The President assured Lindeners that their region will continue to see massive investments, including the 121 kilometres Linden-Mabura Hill Road that is being built for US$190 million. Additionally, the Wismar bridge contract was recently awarded at a cost of US$35 million.
“Billions of dollars will be spent on creating this important infrastructure link that will open up forestry opportunities, agriculture opportunities, mining opportunities, commerce Billions of dollars will be spent on creating this important infrastructure link that will open up forestry opportunity, agriculture opportunity, mining opportunity, commerce opportunities, tourism opportunities and connect your market to the rest of the market in our country.”
“These are the investments that are transformative, that will raise your region, that will lift your region, every single village in the river, every single community here in Region 10, you will be lifted with this tide of development,” President Ali added.
Back in January, four companies from China, India and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) submitted bids for the Linden/Soesdyke Highway upgrade. One of the companies that submitted a bid was Namalco Construction Services of T&T, in a joint venture with Guy-America Construction Incorporated of Guyana.
Also submitting bids were China Road & Bridge Corporation, China Railway First Group Company Limited and Ashoka Buildcon Limited of India. Ashoka is currently the contractor working on the Ogle-to-Eccles Four-lane Highway, while China Railway First Group is the contractor on the Demerara River Bridge, for which a US$260 million contract was signed in May 2022.

Upgrading the Soesdyke/Linden highway involves the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 73km of the road, with two lanes undivided, nine bridges and six culverts with improved design, quality and standards. It also includes ancillary works and road corridor improvements providing essential public administration support, and improved connectivity with communities, roadside and other facilities.
The scope of work also entails milling of existing asphalt surface course, application of varying pavement structures above the milled sections of pavement inclusive of asphalt, sand asphalt, and sub-base; full-depth pavement reconstruction in certain sections, construction of two roundabouts along the alignment, sidewalks extension to nine multi-span bridges, drainage work, and utility relocation, and installation of roadway lighting.
Last year, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government signed a US$200 million agreement with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), aimed specifically at financing the reconstruction of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, and only one day after another US$150 million agreement was inked with the Saudi Fund to finance infrastructural development works for the housing sector and construction of the Wismar Bridge.
Additionally, the government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the IsDB concerning the Country Engagement Framework for Guyana’s green, resilient and sustainable infrastructure as well as for supporting economic diversification and doing business. (G-3)