Even though Works Minister Rohan Sinanan said no new works were ongoing in the Mon Desir to Fyzabad highway, heavy machinery continued to operate there on Monday.
When Guardian Media visited the area, steam rollers, excavators and tractors lined the side of Sewlal Trace in Fyzabad where huge mounds of freshly dug mud stood on either side of the roadway. Works were also ongoing along the highway embankment at Debe Trace.
General Earthmovers Limited had been granted a contract to excavate the Sewlal Trace area near Pepper Village for the construction of the highway between Mon Desir to Fyzabad.
The latest excavation works were done on Saturday but because of overcast skies, excavation was halted on Monday.
The Guardian saw about a dozen workers on site. Some were seen building a roof for the site office while others sat inside a container office on the opposite side of the road. The pathway of the highway had already been cleared but Sewlal Trace remained intact.
A source at the site said they commenced work in January.
“The scope of works has been delivered by the National Infrastructure Development Corporation NIDCO and AECOM Technology which is involved in project management,” the source added.
Guardian Media was told that residents had already been compensated and relocated.
However, one resident Faiz Ramjohn said he was appalled that works were ongoing without the knowledge of the Minister even though private landowners were not compensated.
“I am surprised that the Minister is not aware, they were here two days before Christmas and they came on my lands without my knowledge. I contacted NIDCO,” Ramjohn said.
Another resident Sankar Lalman said many residents who were compensated felt cheated.
“They rob me of my land and now they want to cheat me of another piece of my land,” Lalman said. He added that the contractors had not compensated all residents and some people with legitimate deeds were being ignored.
Along the Mon Desir area, residents said they were given rental homes while their compensation packages were being processed but years have passed and they still have not been compensated.
Earlier this month, head of the Highway Reroute Movement Dr Wayne Kublalsingh raised concerns that works were ongoing along the controversial segment of the highway.
“The Government is breaking the law in Debe to Mon Desir. It is acting with malfeasance, “ Kublalsingh said then.
Last month, Minister Sinanan denied that the highway from Debe to Mon Desir has restarted without consultation.
He said the works being done were merely meant to protect the bridge infrastructure, noting there was a connector road from Mon Desir to Fyzabad which can bring relief for the people in that area.
Efforts to contact Sinanan yesterday to explain the recent works at Sewlal Trace proved futile as calls to his cellular phone went unanswered and he did not respond to Whatsapp messages.