Allow repairs, locals told

WORKS Secretary David Wereh has urged people living along the Highlands Highway section in Chimbu affected by a major landslide to allow work to begin so that traffic flow can resume.
Wereh said the landslide at Wandi near Kundiawa had blocked off the highway since the weekend. But restoration work could not begin because locals wanted compensation and other demands.
He said the provincial works team and the contractor were ready to begin restoration work to reopen the six kilometres affected by the landslide.
Wereh urged the people to consider the importance of the highway to the Highlands region and the cost of its closure.
“The Highlands Highway is the lifeline of the Highlands region, serving many towns, many business houses and people in other provinces like Western Highlands, Enga, Southern Highlands and Hela,” Wereh told The National yesterday.
He said transport companies, business houses and PMV operators in the Highlands were complaining about the prolonged closure which was affecting their operations.
Wereh appealed to the Chimbu provincial government and locals to cooperate with his department.
Wereh said other sections of the highway affected by landslides and landslips were in Eastern Highlands, Enga and Hela.
He said they were being attended to by provincial works teams and contractors.
He said such disasters were expected at this time of the year and the Works Department had contingency plans to attend to them.
“This is nothing new. At the beginning of the year, we always have these emergencies. Our works teams are on standby around the country to respond to these emergencies in a timely manner,” he said. “This time around, the Highlands Highway is the main victim with vulnerable sections in Chimbu, Daulo in Eastern Highlands, sections of the Enga and Hela highways being affected by landslides and landslips.”