High level ‘Flood Free Victoria’ meeting   |29 July 2022

The meeting in progress (Photo: Louis Toussaint)

‘We are not doing anything new, only maintaining our properties’

“What the government is doing is nothing new, but only maintaining our properties. Since we started these meetings, I have admired the knowledge of the technicians who just went on the field and did the job as it should have been done.”

President Wavel Ramkalawan said this during the fourth meeting of the high level committee on ‘Flood Free Victoria’ held yesterday in La Salle de Maritime at State House.

The stakeholders were able to get an update on the works done by the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment (MACCE) and the Seychelles Infrastructure Agency (SIA).

Principal climate adaptation officer Jean Claude Labrosse gave a detailed presentation of what has been done in the rivers in Victoria and Mont Fleuri (See article ‘entitled ‘Desilting work in Victoria and Mont Fleuri completed at a cost of R3.17 million’ published in Wednesday’s edition).

“What we are seeing right now are works that should have been done earlier. Many would disagree with what we are undertaking in fixing all the rivers and bridges, but this is necessary for the development of our country.  During this exercise, more than 2,000 tonnes of gravel have been removed. If we do not maintain our properties, we will be in deep trouble and everyone will criticise the government,” said President Ramkalawan.

Regarding the maintenance of rivers, the president said people flouting the laws by littering will be fined and these fines will also be increased.

Dorayne Calderin Torres from SIA also shared the action list and where the projects or negotiations have reached.

Findings

The main findings were shared by Lemmy Payet from SIA and he explained that the issues are with the structural state of drain/channel walls in the form of: walls that are in poor structural state (risk of collapsing) and extensive erosion between drain wall footing and side walls.

There is the presence of various utility lines and utility amenities within channels (across, lengthwise or seemingly strewn at random) and there are physical obstructions within river channels in the form of old concrete structures, remains of old utility lines/parts.

Existing structures such as road access, buildings too low – compromising drain clearance and there are general hydraulics issues with drain channels, for example too narrow in parts, sharp bends within alignment, side walls too low causing instances of overshooting.

Proposals

For existing channel walls in poor structural state where erosion/scouring is evident, SIA proposes to undertake underpinning and reinforcement of the footing of drain channel and upgrading of channel walls. Works to be undertaken in liaison with Seychelles Land Transport Agency and climate change department (CCD).

-For existing manhole-like structures within river channel, SIA proposes to demolish them and this matter will be brought to the utilities committee level to confirm feasibility of proposal.

Moosa River: Where there is utility line crossing the river channel, the proposal is to raise or divert cross utility pipe across channel. Regarding the footbridge access between Butcher’s Grill and Pension Fund, there is a proposal to demolish it and also to check with Pension Fund regarding their future development in the area to confirm if there is a need to re-construct this footbridge.

Maintry river 1: The existing channel wall upstream of Quincy supermarket is too low and leads to overshooting from drain channel. The proposal is to raise the existing level of the channel wall to match main road level. The current bus shelter also drops too low into the channel and SIA proposes to raise the existing level of same.

Maintry river 2: The inlet of bridge at ex-STC supermarket partially blocked by presence of utility lines. Proposal is to remove/realign the lines. They also propose to construct a ‘sleeve’ on drain wall to better contain utilities lines as same are currently randomly aligned and in a disorderly manner. Again this matter will be brought to the utilities committee level for consideration.

St Louis river: The proposal is to undertake complete demolition/reconstruction of existing old stone boundary wall within the river bend to allow for a wider flow and increase drainage capacity. Liaison started with the police dept. SIA also noted that the demolition and re-construction process shall be carried out in liaison with the culture department to assess the historical value of the wall.

Also the channel wall level at the Victoria Gymnasium car park is too low and the proposal is to raise the existing level and also to widen a 10m portion of the channel from the bridge at the back of the police compound to the arch bridge.

The existing slab bridge at the back of the police compound will be demolished and replaced by an arch bridge designed to provide more clearance to the drain channel.

La Poudrière river: The proposal is to raise existing level of drain wall to match road and to remove and realign certain utilities within drainage channel. These works will be done by engaging with PUC and the matter will be brought to utilities committee level to confirm feasibility and cost of project.

Quebec river: Proposal is to re-align the Quebec river culvert under the main road and part of river channel.

Rochon river: Proposal to undertake construction of plum concrete retaining wall along the bank of Rochon river adjacent to ex-police housing

Mr Payet shared that significant portion of proposals listed are in the form utility lines diversion. The above exercise must be carried out in liaison with the utilities committee to present all findings in one go. The inputs of the utilities committee are essential to: validate the feasibility of the proposals highlighted here; confirm costs and other logistical considerations towards the diversion of the lines; provide proposals for utility line diversion in synchronisation with other civil works in a cost-saving and efficient manner. With input of utilities, final masterplan of proposals can be drafted and detailing of proposal and detailed costing to follow each proposal.  Active coordination with key stakeholders must be a priority during the design, costing and implementation stage (e.g. SLTA, CCD, utilities, MLG) and proposals to look into the possibility to engage certain specific stakeholders and third parties to assist in the implementation of the projects.

The meeting lasted more than three hours with the participation of most stakeholders.

President Ramkalawan encouraged all stakeholders to come up with concrete actions to be taken so that some of the projects can be incorporated in the budget. The next meeting has been fixed for October.

Vidya Gappy