20-Year-Old M4 Highway Project Revived to Enhance Road Links

There are currently three main routes to reach the northern part of Mauritius from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport (SSR): the M1, M2, and M3 highways (Terre Rouge/Verdun). A fourth route, the M4 highway, was supposed to be added, connecting Forbach in the north to Grand-Bel-Air in the southeast, near the airport.

This project had been shelved for 20 years but appears to be making a comeback, following a recent written response from the Minister of Infrastructure, Ajay Gunness, to Parliament.

The initial plan was to start construction in May 2021. Phase 2 involved building a 13.5 km single-lane road between Bel Air (B27) and Pont Blanc (A2). However, for various reasons, the project has faced delays.

The idea of a new highway linking the north to the airport was first proposed in 2005 by the MSM/MMM government.

Originally called the South Eastern Highway, the plan was to run along both sides of the Ferney Valley, an area with endemic plants.

Environmental NGOs—including Eco Sud, Nature Watch, and the Mahébourg Citizens Welfare Organisation—strongly opposed the project.

At the time, then-candidate Navin Ramgoolam promised to halt the project if he became Prime Minister. After winning the 2005 election, he followed through and stopped the work on July 4, 2005.

Now, Minister Gunness says the project is set to be revived. It will be carried out in three phases: first from Forbach to Pont Blanc, second from Pont Blanc to Bel-Air, and third from Bel-Air to Grand-Bel-Air.

Currently, the focus is on phases 1 and 2, covering about 30 kilometers from Forbach to Bel-Air along the B27. The Minister has begun talks with the Ministry of Finance to prioritize this section in the upcoming budget.

The future M4 highway will run near Flacq Hospital and include a crossing with the B23 road.

Meanwhile, a new interchange at La Vigie was officially opened last Thursday. Minister Gunness, along with Ministers Richard Duval and Michael Sik Yuen, inaugurated the Rs 270 million project aimed at easing traffic in the area.

The interchange provides faster, safer access for drivers connecting La Vigie, La Marie, and Beaux Songes, and helps vehicles coming from the west head toward the south.

During the inauguration, Gunness highlighted the importance of this project for Mauritius’s road infrastructure development.

The larger La Vigie/ La Brasserie/ Beaux Songes road connection, which includes a fly-over in Flic-en-Flac, is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

The Minister also mentioned plans to build more interchanges across the island, provided funding is secured, to improve connectivity throughout Mauritius.

Source: Le Mauricien