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15 new graders will be purchased for each of the Department of National Roads’ (DNR) Rural Depots for Road Maintenance and upgrading works. Cabinet approved in principle that the Ministry of Works and Transport purchase 15 new graders costing approximately $2.25M, duty free import, for road maintenance and upgrading works. The graders will be purchased from funds within the DNR approved 2008 capital budget. Cabinet based its decision on a submission by the Minister for Works and Transport, Colonel Timoci Natuva. Colonel Natuva explained that the Plant Pool Sections of the Department of Works are currently operating with severe constraints: “There is shortage of Plants (Graders, Rollers, Loaders etc) and Vehicles in the Plant Pool, and the Department is, therefore, unable to meet the full demand of executing Government Maintenance Works as well as Capital Projects. “There are 139 Plants and 349 Vehicles (workable) in the three divisions with an average breakdown of 50% per annum of the existing Fleet. “Approximately 80% of the Fleet have aged, and deteriorate day by day due to wear and tear, the work environment, high operational and maintenance costs and scarcity of spare parts.” The Minister said that the Budget Provisions in the previous years for the replacement of such obsolete vehicles, plants, procurement of the vehicles and new Plants/Vehicles have been grossly inadequate. “As a result, the road infrastructure cannot be maintained to an acceptable serviceable standard.” The Minister said that the Department of Works under its Pool has a total of 35 Graders, of which approximately 50% are beyond its useful economic life and are in the process of being written off. The remaining 50% continuously break down and are in need of major overhaul.” He said that with the current number of Graders currently under the Department of Works’ Pool, the DNR is unable to maintain and upgrade its Gravel Roads nation wide, particularly in the rural areas. He, therefore, said that in order to improve the rural road conditions as a matter of priority and up-keeping it to an acceptable standard, at least one Grader will be allocated to each of the 15 DNR Rural Depots. -ENDS- No:0658 |
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