MULTI-million pa'anga projects to improve public roads throughout Tonga over the next two years have started while others are on the drawing board to be financed under three different programs funded by Chinese loans and a grant from the Asian Development Bank.

The civil works and road improvements under the Nuku'alofa Central Business District Reconstruction program is overseen by the Nuku'alofa Development Corporation (NDC).

Paul Karalus the NDC Project Administrator, told Matangi Tonga Online on August 17, that NDC is only involved with the CBD Reconstruction work, under which TOP$20 million of the China loan of TOP$118 million for the Nuku'alofa Reconstruction, was allocated for the civil work that includes the CBD street works.

Storm water

Civil works at the CBD includes the rehabilitation of the storm water drainage that has been completed. Renovation of sidewalks is currently underway to be followed by the resurfacing of all streets in the CBD. In addition to be completed under this program is landscaping work of the central city park with streetlights and new power supply, including some underground power supply.

He said they had also built a soakway for effluent water from septic tanks in the CBD that had been completed but had yet to be hooked up.

Road improvement

A second program called the National Road Improvement Program (NRIP) is another large project financed by an $80 million pa'anga loan by government from China. This is a different from that of the China Loan for the Nuku'alofa Reconstruction.

Leveni 'Aho the Director of Works said on August 18, this project would see major improvement of roads mapped out in Tongatapu, Vava'u, Ha'apai and 'Eua and to be completed by mid-2013.

He said CCECC is the lead contractor under the program that is handled by the Ministry of Works.

This national road improvement program includes some of the main roads in Nuku'alofa like Tupoulahi Road, 'Alipate Road, Mateialona Road, Railway Road, among others, with sidewalks also to be constructed on some of the roads.

The Eastern District at Hahake includes the main road from Malapo to Niutoua currently under improvement work. On the western side Hihifo, work on roads at 'Umutangata, Ha'atafu, Kala'au is to start at the end of the year.

In Vava'u improvement works are currently being done on a road from Leimatu'a, Ta'anea and Mataika. The work would move to Ha'apai to improve a secondary road from Holopeka to Hihifo at the end of the year. Work at 'Eua's 'Ohonua road to Houma would begin either at the end of this year or early next year.

Urban development

A third program is the ADB Integrated Urban Development Program financed by the Asian Development Bank who committed an original grant of USD$12 million in 2008. The program is to be completed by September 2012.

Leveni said the program is under the Ministry of Works with the roadwork carried out by Vava'u Construction with the consultant work company carried out Snowy Mountain Corporation from New Zealand.

Essentially the road improvement works on various roads in urban areas in Tongatapu is at a cost of under $9 million pa'anga.

Roads include Vaha'akolo Road, Taufa'ahau Road from the Tofoa intersection to the Bypass Road at Fanga, as well as associated drainage works, currently underway. Taufa'ahau Road from Tofoa to the Catholic Basilica Cathedral is also included in this program.

Leveni said this included main drainage work around low-lying areas like at St Andrews Road and at Tupou High School area at Vaololoa. "The main problem in Nuku'alofa is that it is low lying and we need to discharge the water," he said.

The ADB program also aimed at alleviating poverty would also see road works at small roads within the 'Isileli area at Sopu. In addition roads in Popua village are under final grading work.