Motorists and residents in Aranjuez plead for a bridge

MOTORISTS and pedestrians alike are finding it difficult to go about their business due to the inadequacy of the San Juan River bridge that links Aranjuez Village with Mount Lambert, in the vicinity of Aranjuez villas. Bissoon Birsingh, president of the Upper Aranjuez Village Council, complained yesterday that the original bridge collapsed in November 2003. He praised the Ministry of Works then for erecting in a 24-hour period a temporary “Bailey” bridge. Since then, the heavy flow of traffic, both on mornings and  afternoons is proving to be too much for the bridge because of its size and the fact that it can only accommodate one lane of traffic at a time.

Birsingh said he wrote the Ministry of Works recently about the problem and the latest he has heard is that the problem is being given top priority, with the hope that construction of a two-lane bridge would begin soon. According to Birsingh, even Aranjuez farmers are feeling the pinch. He learnt that the Ministry has requested the Traffic Branch section of the Ministry of Works and Transport to seek the help of the police to regulate the flow of traffic during peak periods. Communications specialist at the Ministry, Majid Mohammed, confirmed that the Ministry is aware of the problem and is working on it.