Ogle, Good Hope, Mahaica roads: Pres Ali urges contractors to maintain timeline

As road work continues in Ogle, Good Hope and Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD), President Dr Irfaan Ali said there are some delays in their progression and stressed the need for contractors to increase their work shifts and make use of the optimal weather to return on schedule.
Ali made these remarks during a recent site inspection of the road work projects along the ECD corridor.
Facilitated by Indian company, Ashoka Buildcon, the US$106.3 million road link between Ogle and Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), is slated for completion by October 2024.

Though current progress was intended to be at the 14 per cent mark, the contractors on Friday told the President that they’ve completed only 7.2 per cent of their initial work thus far.
However, as they’ve moved to double their shifts and increase their sand dumping capacities, they assured Ali of their swift return to the original timeline.
“So, right now, you’re behind the planned schedule by 7 per cent and as I get it, you’ve increased your shift to 24 hours, seven days per week,” Ali confirmed with the contractors.
“The rain has stopped so we’ll be getting the peak terrain. We’ve already mobilised [and] all of our resources are there, and even our sand dumping has increased. Our requirement is 300 [quantities of sand], our daily dumping will be 323. This is a crucial part of our project,” the contractors explained in response to Ali.

Within this road project, the Ashoka Buildcon team has to construct some 29 culverts, ten minor bridges and one major 75km bridge.
Currently, they are completing soil improvement activities by installing Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVD).
Work is also progressing to finish the construction of two culverts as four have already been completed.

Utility shifting
Meanwhile, President Ali assured contractors of engaging with relevant stakeholders to complete utility services shifting within three weeks.
The Head of State also inspected road works at Good Hope and Mahaica.
These roads form part of a US$192 million road construction project, being done by China Railway First Group.
Scheduled for completion by 2025, this extensive project will see the development of a four-lane highway from Sheriff Street, Georgetown, to Mahaica.
In addition to the construction of some 40 bridges and 27 culverts, a major bridge will be built across the East Demerara Water Conservancy-Northern Relief Channel, better known as Hope Canal.
President Ali encouraged contractors to make use of the weather in order to improve their progress.
“You have to work more than one [shift] now because of the weather. You have very good weather so you have to make use of it. You should start all of the structures in this weather,” Ali said to the contractors and engineers, who assured him of preparatory works being done to advance their agenda.
Highlighting the importance of community engagement, Ali also advised the team to increase their communication with residents within the areas in which they are working.
“You have to work with people to find solutions. In communities where you especially have small businesses along the roadway, you have an opportunity to work with them to develop an area to have a modern reserve so that it can become a tourism point for the community. You have to involve people in the project,” Ali said. President Ali was accompanied by Public Works Minister Juan Edghill during these visits