Lae-Nadzab road project fine example of chaotic planning

 THE Lae-Nadzab road project in Lae can best defined as Project Chaos. 

Firstly, it can clearly be seen that no appropriate geographical feasibility studies were carried out. 

Secondly, the National Works or Provincial Works Department failed to plan the roads construction phase.

Thirdly, the engaged contractor lacks road construction professionalism. 

The heavy rains during the months of June and July this year showed that nil feasibility studies were carried out. 

The wet weather caused flooding that tore up the newly laid out road foundations and bridges from 9-Mile market to 4-Mile. 

Land slips from the newly bulldozed land on opposite sides of the road also caused road blocks along the road. 

This is a clear indication of poor feasibility studies. 

The natural geography of the landscape was never assessed with the province’s weather patterns.  

Similarly, the whole construction phase of the road works from 9 mile to 4 mile is a work havoc situation. 

Instead of completing each part of the road section before progressing on, the road is being constructed on a “stop start” basis. 

While the half constructed part at 9-Mile market to 5-Mile is left to erode, the trees at 3-Mile are being bulldozed and the road expended. 

The land slip between 4-Mile is left to its own devices. 

The National Works Department must design the contractual phase to help the contractor.

Better still, sub-contract other national construction companies to help shoulder the work load. 

If not, the Government will have to foot an extended bill of poor hindsight. 

Lastly, the contractor lacks professionalism. Their handling of the project since its inception at the being of the year leaves allot to be desired. 

Travelling every day to and from work, one can easily tell that the contractor does not know half of what it is doing. 

The new bridges are clogging up, there are now landslips everywhere and incomplete road sections left to produce dust. Either they don’t know what they are doing or their engineers have left them. 

This can all be solved by, running a complete feasibility study of the areas geography, replan construction into construction phases starting at 9-Mile and completing at 2-Mile and sub-contracting to other construction companies and engaging qualified national road and construction engineers to assist in the engineering aspect of the road project. 

That’s the road forward.

Gilinde Kitoria

Ahi Ngapali, Lae