New pavements for Olivier Maradan Street |17 May 2013

The project which falls under the traffic management plan of Victoria is costing over R1.5 million and is expected to take some eight weeks to complete. It is being carried out by Benoiton Construction.

Nicholas Hoareau, senior project officer with the Seychelles Land Transport Agency (SLTA), said they have received the green light from the Roman Catholic diocese to pull down the wall in front of the cathedral to make way for the construction of the pavements which will be 1.5 metres wide. The retaining wall will be pushed further back.

Preliminary works in the area to put up the required signs and markings started on Wednesday but work proper to pull down the wall is expected to start during the weekend Mr Hoareau said.

Mr Hoareau said the SLTA has agreed with the Roman Catholic diocese not to carry out heavy works between 4.30pm and 6pm on Saturdays, 7am and 10.30am on Sundays so as not to interrupt mass, and from 2.30pm and 3.30pm on week days when there are funeral ceremonies and other services.

“We want to avoid inconveniences and disruption of activities and services at the cathedral as much as possible,” said Mr Hoareau.
Meanwhile, Mr Hoareau said the Roman Catholic diocese has agreed to temporarily reopen the gate leading to the footpath that crosses in front of the cathedral to improve pedestrian movement while work progresses.

The gates will open from 6am to 8am, and from 2pm to 4pm during week days while work is in progress.

It is to be recalled that the gate was closed sometime back due to public misuse of the surrounding church grounds.

Mr Hoareau is calling on the public to use the pathway properly and to avoid littering the church grounds.

When the project is completed it is expected to bring relief to pedestrians especially school children using this dangerous stretch of road and lessen traffic congestion in the area.

“School children and other pedestrians will feel safe once the pavement and footpath will be completed and traffic is expected to flow more swiftly,” added Mr Hoareau.

Mr Hoareau is appealing to pedestrians and the general public to take extra precautions and to cooperate by observing all traffic safety regulations while using this stretch of road as there will be a lot of work involved in the area in the coming days and weeks. 

He said the work will tend to obstruct the flow of traffic from time to time so motorists and other road users should exercise caution and patience at all times.