Road to open

 TRAFFIC flow will be fully restored today at Kol Wara between Yonki and Kainantu in Eastern Highlands, Works Secretary David Wereh confirmed last night.

He said this section of the Highlands Highway was damaged by a landslip on Tuesday last week, a day after the Bena River bridge, also in Eastern Highlands, was washed away by floodwaters.

Wereh said on Monday a temporary bypass was opened at Bena on Friday to allow traffic, including heavy trucks, to use the highway.

He said an access road was opened late yesterday afternoon at Kol Wara to enable small vehicles and trucks to use the highway.

“Traffic flow will be fully restored tomorrow (today) and heavy trucks will be able to use the highway,” Wereh told The National.

Wereh commended the Works Department’s provincial team and contractor Covec for repairing the damaged section at Kol Wara.

He said the road closure was prolonged by compensation demands from landowners and villagers, which the Works team managed to resolve with assistance from the provincial police.

“The Highlands Highway is our lifeline and we must all work together to ensure that there is no unnecessary disruption,” Wereh said.

“People who live along the Highlands Highway must understand that this is a national asset that benefits their province, region and country as a whole.”

Meanwhile, Wereh refuted a statement by Western Highlands businessman John Pang that he had misled the people about the re-opening of damaged sections of the highway.

Wereh said his statement on Monday specifically referred to the re-opening of the Bena section of the highway last Friday, while repair works were continuing at other damaged sections in Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands, Enga and Southern Highlands.

“Natural disasters are beyond our control but when they do occur, the Works teams have responded quickly to repair the damages and restore traffic flow.

“We should not expect miracles to happen overnight. 

“While we appreciate the concerns of transport companies and business houses, we must also consider the safety and wellbeing of our workers who are sent to repair the damaged sections of the highway,” Wereh said. He said repair work had started on the Kundiawa-Gembogl road in Chimbu, which was also damaged by a landslip last week. 

Wereh said compensation demands by local villagers had delayed the start of work. But the provincial Works team should complete repairs by this weekend.

On the Haijo bridge in Northern, which linked Girua Airport to Oro Bay, work should be completed by this weekend.