ABOUT K6 million has been allocated to help in rebuilding roads that were affected by Tropical Cyclone Maila recently.
Department of Works and Highway (DoWH) secretary Gibson Holemba said the department had allocated about K6 million through the support of Australian aid through the transport sector support programme (TSSP) to rebuilding.
He said the funding was being used to do rebuilding of roads in Autonomous Region of Bougainville (Arob), East New Britain, West New Britain and New Ireland.
“Into the Madang side, part of Kumil Bridge that was washed away, the excess had been fully restored two weeks ago,” he said.
Holemba said the contractor was now working on the bank protection works to protect the bridge from erosion.
“For part of Sepik Highway in Lumi, West Sepik that was affected by landslide last month, emergency work had already begun.
“Also on the Central’s Imila Bridge, the work is also starting and in Milne Bay too, we restored excess which was washed out,” he said. He said the department was working with Alotau to work on the North Coast road towards Rabaraba.
In regards to Passam-Angoram road in East Sepik, Holemba said the contractor already had a pre-start meeting with the DoWH team.
“The contractor was mobilising to the site and we have already processed their mobilising claims and so the contractor was moving to start work on the Angoram road soon.
“We are working on these projects with the current challenging environment and climate change is real and it is affecting many of our road network,” he said.
Holemba said that they were working together with other stakeholders to look at how they could restore excess and reconnect the people that were affected by the cyclone across the country but works were ongoing.
“We were going to also fully open the road up in Tifalmin in Telefomin on Friday in West Sepik which was funded by Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML)
“Also in Bialla, WNB, there would be a first opening of the 10 kilometre section under the Connect PNG on Thursday and so we are progressing and working right across the road network,” he said.
Meanwhile, Holemba said for Transnational Highway which connected National Capital District to Central, Gulf and Morobe was progressing well with graveling going on.
“When we connected last year, we were doing graveling works and then stabilising those slips because after the new cut, we had a lot of land slips within those mountainous sections.
“So our teams were on site trying to stabilise those slopes and graveling and as we speak, the gravel have reached almost Kanabea station in Gulf and we should complete the graveling to Morobe side by June or July,” he said.
Holemba said that working on the roads all throughout the country was bit challenging considering the weather pattern, climate change and topography but the department was doing its best ensure work was in progress.
