Highlands Highway

A major landslide which occurred on January 8 in that area has blocked the Highlands Highway for the past six days.

At the moment a temporary bypass has been created by the Simbu-based Kaiaworks Construction under the Works Department's supervision.

The Government allocated an undisclosed amount of funds for the removal of the debris and the construction of the bypass.

Additional funding was allocated to Kaiaworks to build a permanent road apart from the bypass.

The damage section is at Guo which is few kilometres outside of Kundiawa provincial capital.

This is the same section of the highway in Simbu Province which was damaged by landslide in January.

 At the moment a temporary bypass has been created by the Chimbu-based Kaiaworks Construction under the supervision of the Works Department.

Wereh did not reveal the amount paid to the contractor for maintenance of the highway.

This followed the signing of the K134. 8 million contract in Port Moresby today, by the Independent State of Papua New Guinea and contractor – China Railway International (CRI) to do road works from Wau – Bulolo Junction to Yalu Bridge in Morobe Province.

Department of Works Secretary David Wereh said the road works will start after the preliminary meeting between the contractor and DOW.     

 “What we are signing is an ongoing program, (of the) 5 year program to deliver the Lae to Nadzab road.

This have caused traffic to come to a standstill from both sides of the highway.

Reports reaching Loop PNG this morning that the continuous wet season have really hampered the traffic flow along the highway.

People are walking over the landslip to the other sides of the highway.

However, President of the Goroka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sarah Salley told Loop PNG that Goroka Township will not be affected with this but beyond the land slip, other highway dependent provinces should see delays in goods and service.

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Polye blames O’Neill for Highlands Highway negligence

Polye said O’Neill should have admitted that due to the country’s cash flow crisis, the government did not intervene swiftly to remove debris blocking the road.

Polye called on O’Neill to respect much-needed contributions and efforts by the business sector to help open the highway for the public, something which his government gave blind eye to.

He made these remarks after O’Neill announced that a tougher law on people blocking highways will be imposed by the government.

Wereh said the soil structure of the roads, particularly in the Highlands region, is unstable.    

The highway, sometimes referred to as the Okuk Highway, connects the populous highlands region to the coastal areas of Morobe and Madang in the Momase Region.

Wereh told Loop PNG that a new engineering design, created to address soil movement, will limit continuous damage on the Highlands Highway during the wet season.

Wereh told Loop PNG that, DoW is talking with the National Government to find a long term solution and new methods and standards of constructing roads in the country.

The Works Secretary said many of landslides that occur are because the soil is unstable and makes way during heavy rain.

Wereh said the Chimbu section of the Highlands Highway is prone to that, when commenting on the landslide which had buried the Guo section since Saturday, making vehicles stranded on both sides of the damaged road.

The Guo section of the highway was destroyed last Saturday after a landslide buried debris covering over 100 metres of the road,  resulting in vehicles stranded on both sides of the damaged road.     

DoW Secretary David Wereh confirmed to Loop PNG yesterday of the payment, a portion of the agreed K500,000 compensation demand.   

He said K100,000 was paid to allow a contractor to move in and start work on Wednesday to build a temporary by-pass for vehicles.

Wereh told Loop PNG that the contractor engaged by the Works Department have started removing debris yesterday after successful negotiations with the locals.

He revealed that K100, 000 was paid as compensation for road works to start.  

The landslide which happened last Saturday blocking off traffic and people stranded after about 150 metres of the highway was covered by debris.

The Works Secretary said the contractor started clearing debris yesterday from 6pm – 12 midnight and will continue today.