The Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mrs Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, carried out a site visit, yesterday, to assess the reconstruction works of the culvert at Résidence Vallijee - Sable Noir, along the A1 Road. She was accompanied by the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity, Mr Kuvalayen Kugan Parapen.
The project, to the tune of Rs 16 million, is located along the Port Louis-St Jean A1 road up to Sable Noir and forms part of the National Flood Management Programme. Implemented by the Road Development Authority (RDA), it seeks to address recurrent flooding in Plaine Lauzun, Résidence Vallijee, Sable Noir, and Canal Dayot.
The existing culvert, measuring 2.5 meters in length and 1.5 meters in depth, will be replaced with a larger structure, doubling its capacity to ensure efficient stormwater evacuation to the sea. Works on the culvert are scheduled to last five days starting today, while the overall project is expected to be completed by October 2025.
In a statement Minister Navarre-Marie said that the upcoming works by the RDA will mitigate long-standing flooding problems in the area, which have affected residents since 2013 and worsened during Cyclone Belal. She pointed out that this long-awaited project is testimony of Government's commitment to the well-being of residents.
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In addition, Mrs Navarre-Marie pointed out that the Father Laval pilgrimage will begin on 08 September and, in this context, contractors have assured that all arrangements will proceed smoothly in coordination with the Mauritius Police Force to ensure public safety.
For his part Junior Minister Parapen recalled that the Vallijee-Sable Noir area, a busy part of Port Louis surrounded by residential zones including Vallijee, Sable Noir, and Canal Dayot, has long been prone to flooding.
On that score Mr Parapen welcomed the long-overdue works, highlighting that the new culvert, twice the size of the old one, will manage higher water flows, including those that previously came from Montagne Signaux and accumulated in the area, allowing them to be safely directed to the sea.
The Junior Minister described the works as positive news for the region and part of a broader series of planned projects as outlined in the Budget 2025-2026, including the elevation of the bridge over the Grande Rivière Nord-Ouest to improve water flow from the mountain to the sea. According to him, all these initiatives aim to enhance residents' quality of life and strengthen safety during flash floods and other natural disasters.
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