Africa-Press – Mauritius. A seven-metre and 3m50 wide bridge with an estimated cost of Rs 10 million is currently being constructed at Cité Roma, in Riche Terre. Construction works started midyear 2021 and is expected to be completed by January/February 2022.
So as to take stock of these important ongoing construction works which also includes the setting up of a drain network in that region, a site visit was carried out today by the Minister of National Infrastructure and Community Development, Mr Mahendranuth Sharma Hurreeram.
The Parliamentary Private Secretary, Mr Sharvanand Ramkaun, Members of Parliament (MP), Mrs Subhasnee Luchmun Roy and Mrs Marie Joanne Sabrina Tour, the Director of the Land Drainage Authority (LDA), Mr Mahen Nuvin Khedah, and other personalities were also present.
A demonstration of a new drone, acquired by the LDA to the cost of Rs 500,000 and equipped with a 4K camera and multidirectional sensors, was carried out on that occasion.
The drone will be used for mapping and to identify the topography of flood-prone areas and find the sources of flooding. Following the site visit, Minister Hurreeram, in a statement highlighted that the new bridge being constructed will aid in mitigating the risks of flooding in the region.
It is important to understand that ‘zero risk’ does not exist but Government is doing its best to bring relief to the population, he emphasised. Speaking about the drone, the Minister said that it is about putting technology to the service and the safety of the population.
It will allow the LDA to examine the region and locations which are not easily accessible and identify the source of flood issues in real time, he recalled.
This will permit Government and the relevant authorities to make informed decisions, he added. The MP, Mrs Luchmun Roy, welcomed favourably this project in the region of Cité Roma, as the residences of inhabitants are often prone to flooding.
The LDA’s drone will likewise aid in assisting other flood-prone areas such as Cité La Cure and Vallée des Prêtes, she indicated. For her part, MP Mrs Tour, observed that the work progress has reached 45% and that inhabitants of the region have long suffered from flooding. The construction of the bridge is a first phase of the project and will certainly improve the situation in Cité Roma, she pointed out.
As for Mr Khedah, he underlined that the LDA has identified this specific location at Cité Roma as a highly at-risk flood-prone area and, thus Government in collaboration with the NDU and the LDA has started works rapidly to bring about a solution for the forthcoming rainy season.
Hence, the construction of a bridge to allow water flow fluidly in cases of heavy rainfall and there will be other projects in the region namely the setting up of a drains system, he stated.
