Georgetown: Technical Adviser to the Amaila Falls Access Road project, Walter Willis reported today that at the end of 2014, the road works to the hydro project site was 95 percent completed, and if all goes well, the road will be handed over by March of this year.
During the Ministry of Public Works’, 2014 year- in -review press conference, Willis said a total of US $28.9 million has been spent thus far since the project’s inception in 2010 out of an overall cost of US $43.5 million.
According to Willis, since the project started there were some challenges including having to change contractors, and in some instances the contract for some contractors had to be terminated.
Nevertheless, the project, which was divided into seven sections, went on with section one being dropped. This part, Willis explained include works to a stretch of road from Linden to turn off, heading to the Essequibo River. He said that this section was taken off as it fell under the routine maintenance work of the Ministry under hinterland roads.
Section 2 catered for 19.6 kilometres (km) of road from Mabura to the Essequibo River; section 3 catered for a stretch measuring 37.5 km; section four, 20.3 km and section 5, which includes a bypass of Kaburi Village, 13 km.
Willis explained that the by-pass had to be built after stakeholder and donor agencies for the project were against construction traffic going through the village for safety reasons.
Sections 6 and 7 catered for 18.5 km and 50 km respectively.
This project also saw the construction of several timber bridges in the various sections, as well steel bridges in some instances.
However, there are some delays in the projects with Ivor Allen and Toolsie Persaud Quarries, still to complete works in sections 6 and 4.
Other contractors who have worked on this project include Mekdeci Machinery and Construction, and China Railway First Group.
Meanwhile works are currently ongoing at two pontoons’ crossing at Butukari and Kuribrong, but the sections of roads which have been completed are being used.
The Amaila Project involves the construction of a hydropower plant in the area of west-central Guyana, where the Amaila and Kuribrong rivers meet.
Electricity produced at the plant will be delivered to Georgetown and Linden through a high-voltage 230-KV transmission line that will be built along with electric substations in Linden and Georgetown.
A new road approximately 65- km long will be built connecting the project site to the existing Bartica-Potaro Road.
Another new road, approximately 20 km long will be constructed from the existing Mabura Hills Highway to the Essequibo River.
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