After months of drawn-out legal battles and mounting public frustration over a crumbling key thoroughfare, infrastructure rehabilitation work on Paramaribo’s busy Van ’t Hogerhuysstraat is finally set to get underway Sunday, June 28, following the recent signing of a contract between the Surinamese government and selected contractor Kuldipsingh Infra.
The project, one of the most high-priority infrastructure upgrades in the Surinamese capital, has been stalled for months due to a procurement dispute launched by losing bidder Baitali, which challenged its disqualification from the tender process through the courts. In a recent ruling, the canton judge rejected all of Baitali’s claims, further suspended the enforcement of an earlier partial ruling and concluded that the company had abused its right of legal execution to block the project.
While Baitali has publicly stated it will accept the court’s ruling and drop immediate barriers to construction, the firm confirmed it will pursue separate legal proceedings to continue contesting what it frames as an unfair disqualification from the original bidding process. The resolution of the immediate impasse cleared the way for the government to sign off on the contract with Kuldipsingh Infra earlier this week, ending months of uncertainty over the critical upgrade.
Kuldipsingh Infra will launch with preliminary preparatory work on Sunday, scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Following this initial phase, all construction will shift to overnight shifts through July 15, running nightly from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to minimize disruption to peak commuter traffic on this vital artery. The work zone covers the stretch between Leningenweg and Molenpad, including three major intersections at Molenpad, Nieuwe Haven (Willem Campagnestraat/Havenlaan), and Surmac (Slangenhoutstraat).
During construction, portions of the route will be fully closed to destination traffic. Road users will be guided through detours marked by signage, barriers, and on-site direction from local police. The Ministry of Public Works and Spatial Planning (OWRO), which is overseeing the project, issued an urgent appeal to all drivers and other road users to plan alternate routes, adjust travel schedules, and strictly follow instructions from on-site construction staff and police to avoid unnecessary delays.
Van ’t Hogerhuysstraat serves as a critical connection between southern neighborhoods of Paramaribo, the city’s port districts, and the central business district. For years, the poor condition of its road surface has caused persistent traffic congestion and costly damage to private and commercial vehicles, making the rehabilitation a long-awaited project for both commuters and local businesses. Once completed, the upgrade is expected to improve traffic flow, reduce vehicle damage, and support continued economic activity connected to Paramaribo’s busy port areas.