Africa-Press – Mauritius. Government has invested some Rs 103 million in drain works in the region of Fond du Sac. The region is recurrently affected by water accumulation and flooding after heavy rainfalls.
In that context, the Minister of National Infrastructure and Community Development, Mr Mahendranuth Sharma Hurreeram, effected, this morning, a site visit at B11 Road in Fond du Sac to take stock of works carried out in the context of the drain project.
He was accompanied by the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck, the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS), Dr Anjiv Ramdhany, and officers of the National Development Unit.
In a statement after the visit, Minister Hurreeram highlighted that the region is a densely low-lying inhabited residential zone affected by water accumulation and flooding after heavy rainfalls, due to its geographical topology.
He underlined that works started in May 2019 and would be completed once major outstanding works that relate to the construction of about 250 metres of masonry drain at the downstream section of the project for which land acquisition is awaited are done.
On that score, he appealed to inhabitants of the region, who are not agreeing to the acquisition of some portions of their land for the work to be completed, to demonstrate understanding and cooperate with the Government.
As with climate change, there is high risk of flooding which may affect the inhabitants and cost them their lives and material things as well, he said.
For his part, Minister Teeluck indicated that the completion of this drain project would bring great relief to the inhabitants of the region as they were severely impacted by floods and water accumulation in the past years.
He underlined that it was fundamental to come up with sustainable solutions to mitigate the risk of flooding in the future. This project, he added, demonstrates that Government has as priority the welfare and safety of citizens of the region.
As for PPS Ramdhany, he expressed satisfaction concerning the progress of works in the village and recalled that an emergency procurement exercise was carried out, following which contractors were appointed to carry out the works in three phases.
The completed phases of the project have contributed greatly to alleviate the situation for the inhabitants of the surrounding regions, especially during major rainfall events since January 2020, he pointed out.
Works as regards Flood Mitigation at Fond du Sac
To alleviate flooding problems within the affected area, major works comprised the following:
construction of a two metres high floodwall over 700 metres;
construction and upgrading of a swale (earth lined cut-off drains) three metres deep and 18 metres wide over 1.3 km;
construction of masonry lined drain over 300 metres;
construction of a flood retardation basin of 83,000 m 3 capacity upstream of cut-off drain with flow regulation structure at outlet;
construction of culverts over cut-off drain across sugarcane fields and private lands, at Forbach Road and Fond du Sac Main Road (B11 Road).
The contract for the implementation of remedial measures of the project was awarded to Square Deal Multipurpose Cooperative Society on 30 April 2019 for the sum of Rs 103,850,002.50. Mega Design Ltd was appointed as Consultant for design and supervision of the works.
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