Flood Control: KFC Building in La Chaussée Finally Demolished

Workers began the demolition of the KFC building on La Chaussée, Port-Louis, on Sunday, October 27, signaling the conclusion of a long-standing dispute between the Port-Louis municipality and Pick ‘N’ Eat, the management company of KFC in Mauritius. The conflict has persisted for several years, but an agreement was finally reached in August.

The demolition work is being undertaken by the Port-Louis municipality, which has identified a new site near the Roche-Bois gas station for the relocation of the KFC restaurant. Additionally, another KFC branch is operating at Cathedral Square.

This demolition is part of a broader initiative to address infrastructure located along waterways in Port-Louis.

The KFC building, situated on the canal of rue La Poudrière, has been flagged in reports since at least 2008 by a Fact-Finding Committee headed by former judge Bhushan Domah, following deadly floods that year.

In March 2013, after severe flooding resulted in the tragic loss of 11 lives, Senior Magistrate Ida Dookhy-Rambarrun conducted a judicial inquiry.

Her recommendations, submitted in December 2015, strongly criticized the construction of buildings over watercourses in Port-Louis. She specifically pointed to the park-and-ride structures adjacent to Air Mauritius and Rogers, and condemned the KFC building’s location over the canal.

The judicial inquiry highlighted that the foundation of the KFC building obstructed water flow within the canal.

In January 2023, the Port-Louis municipality issued an order for the demolition of the KFC building.

Following this directive, vendors operating along the Ruisseau du Pouce were required to vacate the site in early September.

However, the structures covering the canal, as well as the parking facilities for Air Mauritius and Rogers, have yet to be demolished.

Source: Defi Media