By MICHAEL KOMA in GOROKA
W0RESI Brothers Engineering Ltd, a Chimbu-based road construction company, is awarded a contract by ADB works to seal parts of the 16km Kamaliki/Bekuvia road in the Eastern Highlands.
W0RESI Brothers Engineering Ltd, a Chimbu-based road construction company, is awarded a contract by ADB works to seal parts of the 16km Kamaliki/Bekuvia road in the Eastern Highlands.
The company will rebuild two bridges along that stretch of the road, washed away
by heavy rain fall and has been tasked to complete the bridge within two weeks.
The 17-metre Lapeka bailey bridge and the 15-metre Yabiyufa steel girder bridge, between Goroka and the Unggai mountains, were destroyed by raging floods last week.
The destruction of the two bridges, which were located five kms apart, had affected the flow of traffic and Government services. Two temporary by-passes were built by Woresi Bros Eng Limited to enable only four-wheeled vehicles to pass through.
According to Woresi’s management, the bridge works was an emergency, as it was not in their initial contract to upgrade and seal the Kamaliki- Bekuvia road. The road project in the Ungai range has not included this in the original scope of work but it has been approved on an emergency basis which will be relayed to the Works Headquarter for the infrastructure to be replaced.
The 17-metre Lapeka bailey bridge and the 15-metre Yabiyufa steel girder bridge, between Goroka and the Unggai mountains, were destroyed by raging floods last week.
The destruction of the two bridges, which were located five kms apart, had affected the flow of traffic and Government services. Two temporary by-passes were built by Woresi Bros Eng Limited to enable only four-wheeled vehicles to pass through.
According to Woresi’s management, the bridge works was an emergency, as it was not in their initial contract to upgrade and seal the Kamaliki- Bekuvia road. The road project in the Ungai range has not included this in the original scope of work but it has been approved on an emergency basis which will be relayed to the Works Headquarter for the infrastructure to be replaced.
The estimate for the emergency repair of the two bridges could not be disclosed
at this point in time, however, contractor on site was instructed to undertake
repairs.
Works Department - Asian Development Bank (ADB) Highlands Regional Management Group Director Ian Barr and Eastern Highlands Department of Works Provincial Works manager Moses Laim had inspected both doomed bridges on Wednesday and want to see replacements without any delay.
The contractor has mobilised equipment for the emergency bridge works with security assistance by the Mobile Squad 8 to restore Government services to Ungai, and have started working as previous contractor-TSC demobilised due to security reasons and compensation demands by locals.
The Kamaliki/Movi road was identified by the Works Department as an alternative route as the infamous Daulo and Watabum portions had recorded many landslips since the highway was constructed in 1953.
In 2010, TSC construction, an Asian-owned company was engaged to rehabilitate that stretch of road “but there were defects on some parts due to either poor engineering or bad workmenship.”
Works Department - Asian Development Bank (ADB) Highlands Regional Management Group Director Ian Barr and Eastern Highlands Department of Works Provincial Works manager Moses Laim had inspected both doomed bridges on Wednesday and want to see replacements without any delay.
The contractor has mobilised equipment for the emergency bridge works with security assistance by the Mobile Squad 8 to restore Government services to Ungai, and have started working as previous contractor-TSC demobilised due to security reasons and compensation demands by locals.
The Kamaliki/Movi road was identified by the Works Department as an alternative route as the infamous Daulo and Watabum portions had recorded many landslips since the highway was constructed in 1953.
In 2010, TSC construction, an Asian-owned company was engaged to rehabilitate that stretch of road “but there were defects on some parts due to either poor engineering or bad workmenship.”
Woresi Brothers were engaged by the State last year to upgrade and seal a
distance of 16kms, stretching from Kamaliki to Bekuvia.
Of this distance, 12kms were already upgraded and sealed with only four kms remaining to complete, however, the collapsed bridges have delayed completion of the sealing .
The project is financed by the Government with loan obtained from the ADB.
Meanwhile, Unagi-Bena MP and Minister for Lands and Physical Planning Benny Allan has expressed grave concerns at the enormous amount of weight being put across the bridge when a rolling machine was driven across the two bridges.
He said they realised the importance of traffic access into the Ungai area and was assisting wherever possible to make sure the two collapsed bridges were restored.
Works sources in Goroka and Headquarters have commended Woresi Brothers for doing a fine job on that stretch of road.
Of this distance, 12kms were already upgraded and sealed with only four kms remaining to complete, however, the collapsed bridges have delayed completion of the sealing .
The project is financed by the Government with loan obtained from the ADB.
Meanwhile, Unagi-Bena MP and Minister for Lands and Physical Planning Benny Allan has expressed grave concerns at the enormous amount of weight being put across the bridge when a rolling machine was driven across the two bridges.
He said they realised the importance of traffic access into the Ungai area and was assisting wherever possible to make sure the two collapsed bridges were restored.
Works sources in Goroka and Headquarters have commended Woresi Brothers for doing a fine job on that stretch of road.
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