Awesa updates bridge work

 THE Government is doing everything it can to restore the flow of traffic from Popondetta town to Girua Airport after a bridge was washed away by floodwaters.

Works Minister Francis Awesa said the Department of Works was dealing with the situation and emergency restoration works would start when the flooding subsided. 

“There is already a contractor on the ground working on permanent bridges in Northern,” he said in a statement.

“We understand the bridge serves the community and is the vital economic lifeline for the people of Northern.

“At the moment our engineers are finding it difficult to access the site and build a temporary by-pass because the water level is too high and very risky for engineers to carry out any emergency works.”

Continuous heavy rain in Popondetta last week resulted in the washing away of two bridges cutting off traffic on the Oro Bay Highway.

Awesa said funds were being allocated for emergency and restoration work.

He said the department was working with Canstruct PNG Ltd.

Last year, the department and the Australian High Commission opened a new K130 million bridge to replace a temporary by–pass built after  the Cyclone.