The Mahdia roadworks are scheduled to be completed before year’s end, according to Ministry of Public Infrastructure Civil Engineer Wendell St. Pierre, who revealed that circumstances delayed the initial deadline set for August, and the works are now expected to be completed in December this year.
A section of the Mahdia road under construction
“There were some slight delays because the scheduled date for completion was in August, but the weather, accessing raw materials, and small problems with the contracts caused the reshuffling of the new date,” St Pierre explained.
According to media reports, the Mahdia Community Road Project, which was approximately 50% completed in August, is now at least 63% complete at this stage, as revealed by the Department of Public Information (DPI).
The residents are said to benefit from the 8000-foot concrete lane which will run through the Mahdia community. No longer will they be affected by the dusty and dry laterite roads which continue to pose a serious health concern at present.
Moreover, the newly constructed road will see a reduction in maintenance costs, as the infrastructure would be able to withstand any weight of cargo being transported in, out, and around the mining community.
The engineering expert told DPI that the works on the road have been divided into three lots, and three contractors are tasked with the responsibility of executing allocated shares of the works.
The three lots are respectively being executed by Technocon Investment, J.R Ranch Construction Company, and the B &J Construction Company.
An approximate sum of $720 million was allocated in the 2016 National Budget to facilitate works on the Mahdia roads. That sum has been rolled over to 2017 to facilitate completion of the construction.
