Residents urged to make way for road

National, Normal
Source:

The National,Friday March 11th, 2016

 By DELLYANE ILLAI and TONY PALME KIP  

CITY residents along the Tokarara-Waigani Junction to June Valley have been urged to make way for a new K80 million kina four-lane road that would soon be built from Waigani to the Badihagwa-Hanuabada bypass.

National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop said the new road known as Koura Way would be 6km long and costs K80.28 million.

He said demolition notices were given to residents at Stage 1, which is from Tokarara-Waigani Junction to start of June Valley and would proceed with Stage 2 (from June Valley).

He told The National planning was underway to hand over the scope of the road to the contractor to carry out demolition exercise in the three stages of the road.

According to NCDC deputy city manager for the engineering division Simon Vai, China Harbour Engineering Company is likely to be engaged to build the road.

Parkop said the width of the road all the way would be 40m and encroachments like fencings or properties would be moved out 10m on either side of the road.

He said Stage 1 and 2 were acquired, with the remaining section, end of June Valley to the Hanuabada by-pass (Stage 3), was in the process of acquisition.

Parkop said there were about 38 minor encroachments –  25 fences, eight tucker shops and five semi-permanent sheds, extended onto the road reserved in Stage 1 that should be shifted.

He said that NCDC had carried out awareness and issued the property owners a two weeks’ notice of “unauthorised use of land” last week and the “demolition notices” issued this week.

“Demolition exercise for Stage 1 will start in a couple of weeks’ time,” Vai said.

Comfort Taxi Services (CTS), one of the affected businesses at Tokarara with a taxi fleet of 130,  owns property with land worth more than K500,000, The company confirmed receiving demolition notices on Tuesday, which asked them to move away from the main road.

Managing director Dean Tangui told The National that the company respected developments taking place in the city and would cooperate.

He, however, reiterated that the notice was served late and they had difficulty in moving their business.

 “We would like if NCDC can come good by providing us a new reserve parking area or pay us for the expenses to move away from the road corridor,” Tangui said.

“The company purchased this land legally in 2013 and most of it will be taken up by the road.”

Parkop explained that identification survey was being  done on Stage 2 (start of June Valley to the end of the project).

 “When this exercise is completed, NCDC will start issuing notices in these sections in the next two weeks and demolition exercises will be planned depending on the number and types of structures that are there,” he said.