News Room | India to help plan President’s much-anticipated Silica City

Jan 18,2023

President Dr. Irfaan Ali continues to push the development of Guyana’s second city, Silica City, and will soon welcome Indian experts to help with the urban planning needed there.

The Guyanese Head of State, during a press conference on Tuesday, said that securing assistance in planning for the new city was one of the tangible outcomes of his recent official visit to India.

Based on discussions with India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, a technical team will be deployed here.

“That will be something of great help to us,” the President said, later adding: “We are at that important planning stage.”

Pressed for further details on this support from India, President Ali noted that the forthcoming technical team will comprise specialist urban planners who will be tasked with working with Guyana’s urban planners.

While the common goal is determine the best land use at Silica City, which is set to be established near the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway, the Guyanese leader anticipates that there will be much knowledge transfer. Essentially, he said, Guyanese planners will be able to learn from their foreign counterparts.

Indian experts are not the only foreign specialists gearing up to help establish Guyana’s new city.

Last April, President Ali announced that developers from Singapore- who he described as “the best in the business”- will help craft the city’s urban plans.

Korean investors, during a trade delegation’s visit to Guyana November last, also expressed an interest in financing and developing this city.

Since 2013, the establishment of Silica City has been touted by President Ali, who was the Minister of Housing and Water then. It was highlighted that this city could be located near the Linden/Soesdyke Highway in Guyana’s hilly, sand and clay region.

Since his government was elected in 2020, President Ali and various Ministers of Government have talked up the establishment of this city.