$878M Programmed for Widening and Dualisation of Grange Lane
By: , February 24, 2023
Photo: Rudranath Fraser
A $2.3-billion allocation has been made to continue work on the Southern Plains Agricultural Development Project in the upcoming fiscal year. The sum has been budgeted in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, recently. The project, which began in December 2019, aims to provide access to irrigation water on fallow sugar lands, to increase agricultural productivity through the modernisation of the agricultural sector. It includes construction of wells and canal network and the development of the associated agricultural infrastructure in the arable areas of Amity Hall and Bridge Pen in St. Catherine and Parnassus in Clarendon. Up to December 2022, the drilling of three wells and yield test were completed in Parnassus, and abstraction licences were approved by the Water Resources Authority. Other physical achievements of the project include the completion of capacity-building for climate resilience and crop modelling, the design of agricultural buildings, the irrigation network design, the irrigation and road/draining works, and a gender-responsive training manual for farmer groups. For fiscal year 2023/24, anticipated physical targets of the project are to commence the construction of agricultural buildings and to complete the construction of irrigation network and roads/drainage infrastructure, as well as to complete the rehabilitation of Hartlands canal. This is in addition to the re-tender for contract to construct pump houses and reservoir at Amity Hall/Bridge Pen and the acquisition of GIS equipment for the NIC. (more) Southern Plains…2 The project is being implemented by the Ministry Agriculture and Fisheries, with co-funding from the Government of Jamaica and the Caribbean Development Bank. It is slated to end in December 2024. An additional $361.7 million has been earmarked to undertake activities in fiscal year 2024/25, if necessary.The Full Story
Widening and dualisation of Grange Lane in St. Catherine will continue during the 2023/24 fiscal year with an allocation of $878 million.
The sum is contained in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, which was tabled in the House of Representatives by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, recently.
The project aims to improve mobility and connectivity by reducing congestion and loss of time, improve safety, and facilitate conditions for future economic development through water infrastructure and fibre-optic ducts for broadband connectivity along Grange Lane.
Achievements, up to December 2022, include the completion of designs and drawings, award of contract for contractor to undertake widening and dualisation of Grange Lane, and issuance of the order of commencement.
In the upcoming fiscal year, it is anticipated that construction on the roadway will commence and be completed and 1,400 metres of fibre-optic cable will be installed.
The project is being implemented by the National Works Agency with funding from the Government of Jamaica.