On January 7 local time, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the 100.2-kilometer Kutubu Road upgrading and surface sealing project in Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, undertaken by China Railway Construction Engineering Group. Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea and Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Rosso attended the ceremony.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Marape affirmed the historic contribution the road has made to local economic development over its 34 years of operation, noting that with Papua New Guinea’s economic conditions steadily improving, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the road have become imperative. He stated that China Railway Construction Engineering Group is a trusted partner of the people of Papua New Guinea, and expressed hope that local communities would fully understand and support the project, work together in unity, and jointly ensure its high-quality completion.
The initial contract value of the road project is 371.51 million kina (tax included), with the Government of Papua New Guinea as the owner. The main construction scope includes site clearing, earthworks, subgrade construction, asphalt surface sealing, drainage works, road markings, bridge repairs, and riverbank protection works. Upon completion and commissioning, the project will further improve local transportation conditions and help Papua New Guinea transform regional resource advantages into drivers of development.
