📋 Tender Overview
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Hon. Deodat Indar has said major infrastructural works would soon begin to repair the damaged Pirara Bridge in the Rupununi Region Nine.The Minister made this disclosure during an inspection of the site on Friday. He was accompanied by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Hon. Nigel Dharamlall.Earlier this month emergency repairs were done on the bridge after a section of the structure collapsed under the weight of a lorry.Speaking with DPI Minister Indar said several measures would be taken to avoid an incidence like this recurring. This includes shifting the bridge about 10 feet replacing the brace piles and the cross and longitude members planks which help to stabilise the structure as they are cracked and some parts rotten.The bridge will take one week once the materials are here from what Im seeing. They have 18 piles that need to be replaced. The water is low so now is the best time to replace it. But that is not the issue for Pirara only it is not the issue we have bridges always being destroyed by heavy-laden trucks.Accordingly he urges drivers of heavy-duty lorries to act responsibly and observe the weight limit of the bridges. We are trying to make sure that the infrastructure that we taketaxpayers money to put here is cared for. We are also cognisant of the fact that we do not want the cost of the bridge for the engineers estimates to be bloated and so that is why we check how many piles going in and how long were going to extend the bridge longitudinally the flat members and what the decking is going to be like. All the things we come and check for ourselves he said.Meanwhile charges would be filed against the driver who caused additional damage to the bridge after temporary works were done to facilitate light traffic. Minister Indar said this needs to be done since the drivers actions were selfish.There needs to be some kind of you know responsibility. We are all citizens of this country. The money that we spend here is your money my money and that is the money spent here and we cannot have people behaving in this manner. We have to put a stop to it he added.Moving forward both Ministers Indar and Dharamlall urged their respective officers in the Region to collaborate to realise the Governments vision to develop the Region.On April 11 the southern section of the 210foot-long wooden structure collapsed after a heavy-duty truck attempted to cross the bridge which serves as a link between Lethem and Annai. Following this mishap the Public Works Ministry effected temporary repairs to the damaged structure which is about 30 per cent of the bridge.
