New engineering design for Duran

THE National Housing Corporation (NHC) has signed a contract agreement with Ikupu Engineers and Partners Ltd (IEP) for a detailed engineering design and documentation of a gravity trunk sewerage pipeline for the multi-million kina Duran Farm Housing project in Port Moresby.
This 2.5km sewerage pipeline will run from McGregor Police Barracks through Duran Farm to the Waigani sewerage treatment lagoons at 8-Mile in the National Capital District.
NHC managing director Henry Mokono expressed confidence in the local firm, saying: “They can do the same or better job like any others.”
IEP managing director Daniel Ikupu said he was not new to the Duran Farm project having served as a lead civil engineer with Eda Ranu and was engaged during the construction phase of the Duran Farm project.
He thanked the Government, in particular Minister for Housing and Urbanisation Justin Tkatchenko and Mokono for having the confidence and awarding the contract to his company which started in 2010. The company is currently engaged in a similar but bigger project for the Tari township in Hela.
Mokono said waste water management was an important component of the Duran Farm – a flagship project of NHC.
He expressed the need for Government intervention in real estate rates, adding that the Duran Farm project would provide alternative, affordable social housing for public servants and Papua New Guineans.
In August, Tkatchenko said about 60 houses built by a contractor at the Duran project had to be demolished.
Mokono yesterday said work would restart soon now that a court battle had ended.