24-Hour drone system to aid monitoring East Bank corridor traffic
President Dr Irfaan Ali has directed that a 24-hour drone monitoring system be introduced to manage traffic along the East Bank Demerara corridor, following last week’s massive congestion caused by ongoing road works.
The decision was made during a high-level meeting at State House with officials from the Ministry of Public Works, the Guyana Police Force, the Coast Guard, contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation, and consultant Sheladia Associates Inc.
The Head of State expressed dissatisfaction with how the East Bank road expansion project is being managed, saying the poor coordination has created unnecessary hardship for commuters.
To prevent a repeat of the recent gridlock- which left some outbound travellers walking from Land of Canaan to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport- President Ali ordered a more robust and technology-driven approach to traffic control.
The plan includes deploying drones for around-the-clock surveillance, setting up a containerised control post for real-time traffic management, and introducing an early warning system to better handle congestion and emergencies.
Additionally, police officers will maintain a constant presence along the route to enforce discipline among drivers, particularly those who break traffic laws by forming multiple lanes. A daily work plan will also be developed in coordination with the traffic control team to keep operations running smoothly.
