Police issue ultimatum to landowners to clear highway

By ZACHERY PER
EASTERN Highlands police have issued an ultimatum to Daulo Pass landowners to allow clearance work to proceed on the blocked section of the Highlands highway yesterday.
Provincial police commander Chief Supt Alex N’Drasal confirmed giving landowners until 8am yesterday to allow the highway to be opened to traffic.
He said the people held up the highway clearance work demanding the Government to visit them before any clearance work to be carried out.
“I gave them an ultimatum until 8am today (Tuesday), to allow for the opening and they could have their grievances sorted out with the Works Department,” he said.
“We cannot hold to ransom innocent trucking firms, passengers, PMV operators, motorists and commuters.”
He said the highway was blocked in the early hours of Monday, clearing work started on Monday night, traffic flow was restored by early yesterday morning.
N’Drasal said passengers and motorists travelling the highway must take necessary precautions because heavy rain might cause more landslides between Daulo Pass and Chuave. The heavy downpour in the area caused the sliding mud to slip on to the road and blocked it off completely on Monday and Sunday night. Traffic flow came to a standstill from both sides of the highway, people were walking over the landslip to the other sides of the highway to get on waiting vehicles.