With just four weeks until Papua New Guinea marks its historic 50th Independence Anniversary on September 16, the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) has launched a city-wide maintenance program on all four-lane arterial roads across Port Moresby.
The initiative, announced by City Manager Mr. Ravu Frank in an official notice on August 6, aims to upgrade key roads to ensure they are safe, accessible, and fully operational in time for the national celebrations.
Several construction companies are working simultaneously across the city, and along the Tokarara Dikagari Road, Nuigini Engineering Procurement and Services is leading the work in that area.
In terms of the progress, Project Manager and Lead Engineer Lawrence Blehe, said that there are many construction companies currently working together to maintain the main routes in Port Moresby, both day and night.
He further explained the project timeline and expected completion, and confirmed that they are on track to meet their targets before the celebrations.
“For our project, we began by installing new signs during the first week and have now completed about 300 metres of road sealing.”
“At the pace we are going, we expect to finish sealing by the end of this month and start installing streetlights in the first week of September.”
With the ongoing maintenance, commuters are urged to observe traffic management signage, exercise caution near construction zones, and follow directions from road crews and traffic controllers.
According to NCDC, these upgrades are critical not only for the smooth running of the anniversary celebrations but also for improving the long-term safety and efficiency of Port Moresby’s road network.
Furthermore, the general public, motorists, business owners, and residents are advised to expect temporary disruptions, plan their travel accordingly.
NCDC apologizes for any inconvenience while reaffirming its commitment to delivering better and safer infrastructure for the city.