Wereh: K100m works feasibility study vital to achieve quality outcomes

Department of Works and Highways has undertaken a feasibility study for the Northern Corridor under the Connect PNG program.

Works secretary David Wereh said it had cost the department K100 million to conduct engineering studies and investigation for West and East Sepik including the PNG-Indonesia border free trade area.

Findings from the draft feasibility report presented today will help to build better roads, bridges, and ports in Wutung, Vanimo, and Wewak in conjunction with the challenges surrounding the development of these vital infrastructures.

Mr Wereh said the funds were loaned from the Asian Development Bank or ADB for the studies, which indicated that the entire project would cost about K2 billion to start actual work.

"These are economically enabling infrastructures that we're trying to build so for every one kina we invest, we'd like to see that the government's goal or requirement on the department is that for every kina you spend must have big returns and to reach that objective is to go through a proper engineering process," Mr Wereh said.

"We've got to follow the process. A step-by-step approach will only make it very clear to us the output, work output, and the related value returns on these big investments we are doing.

The Works secretary said the high-level road investigations engineers are doing and collecting data on soil symbols, hydrology, and flood levels as such are important.

The information would help to design roads to standards that can withstand climate effects and terrain condition issues along these corridors.