Chinese company approved to design, finance, build new Demerara Harbour Bridge; no dramatic increase in fares

Last Updated on Monday, 1 November 2021, 20:22 by Denis Chabrol

The existing Demerara Harbour Bridge

China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) has been approved to build the new Demerara Harbour Bridge at a cost of US$256, 638,289, paving the way for further negotiations with the company, according to well-placed sources.

The disclosure by the confidential sources close the project said that now that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) has evaluated the bid from among the four as the most responsive, the way is now clear for  negotiations between the company and the government.

The source explained that under the deal, CSCE would finance, design and build the four-lane high-span east-west thoroughfare across the Demerara Bridge. The

A top government official said under this model, the fares to cross the Demerara River would not increase dramatically because government would be operating the bridge.

The Guyana government on Monday night said the New Demerara Harbour Bridge (NDHB) comprises a critical component of the Government’s drive to expand and modernize Guyana’s transport infrastructure.

The Ministry of Finance said the new bridge will facilitate greater traffic capacity and dramatically improved commuter convenience.

“The new bridge will offer easy connectivity to both the existing East Bank Demerara road as well as the new Diamond to Ogle bypass on the eastern side of the River and to the existing West Bank Demerara Road and the new Parika to Schoonord Road on the western side of the River. The new bridge will also offer critical connectivity to the new Wales Development Authority which will be a major centre of productive activity when it comes on stream,” the government said.

The company would be required to construct a hybrid Cable-Stayed center span bridge with Concrete Box/T Beam Girder approach bridge structure along with bridge collision protection, navigation span to accommodate Handymax vessel Navigation aids, lighting, signage, and all other ancillary works, an access road with a minimum of 50 meters up to abutments, and toll collection buildings and ancillary buildings on the West Bank of the Demerara River.

The other short-listed companies were China Ghezouba Group that proposed to build the bridge for $387. 5 million or US$491.8 million; China Road and Bridge Corporation for $340.6 million or $364.1 million; China Railway Construction Corporation International, along with China Railway Caribbean Company Limited and China Railway Engineers, for US$260.8 million or US$300 million.