Nine overseas contractors were shortlisted for the new Demerara Bridge
An aging Demerara Harbor Bridge.
Kaieteur News – Nine contractors have been shortlisted for the Ministry of Public Works to bid for the construction of the high-span, high-span four-lane bridge across the Demerara River.
The Minister of Public Works, Deodat Indar, gave the confirmation last Monday, when he said 9 had been selected from the 42 companies that had responded to the Government’s invitation for Expressions of Interest for the construction of the new bridge.
He told Globespan24X7’s live broadcast that the administration is currently engaged in discussions with the shortlisted bidders on the next stage before a final bid by Oct. 21, to get a final agreement signed.
The new bridge, he said, is expected to begin construction by the end of the year and “we hope that by October 2023, we should see that bridge completed.”
According to the Minister, the government had to confirm its proposal in more accurate detail with the potential contractors and that this had been completed and the administration was satisfied that it had all the necessary details for the bridge to progress the project.
A source close to the project has since confirmed that all shortlisted companies are foreign, as local companies do not have the capacity to undertake such a project.
It was also noted that with the project going out to tender early in its second round of bidding, the Ministry would then seek to secure an Engineering Consultant for the project.
The Ministry had last December initiated an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the construction of a new bridge across the Demerara River, commissioned by the Ministry. This follows a request from the Ministry of Public Works Works Services Group.
This four-lane, high-span fixed bridge, commonly referred to as a “flyover bridge,” is expected to be built with a lifespan of 50 years, and will not need to be opened or withdrawn to allow for for maritime traffic. Notably, no costs for the project have yet been established.
The new four-lane bridge is expected to stimulate other key infrastructure projects that will bring a number of spin-off benefits. One major project will be a four-lane highway from the new bridge at the top of Region Three, Parika.