Villagers help out to fix Dala Bridge in west Kwara’ae, Malaita province.
THE current deteriorating state of the Dala Bridge in west Kwara’ae has denied vehicles and passengers from east and northern regions of Malaita from reaching Auki town.
It was reported that the bridge was damaged as a result of the continuous heavy rain in Malaita. The bridge was just a temporarily made one after its original iron structure collapsed a few years back.
To get to Auki from the east and northern regions of Malaita, the Dala Bridge is the only link except for the risky logging roads in the jungles.
An elder from the Dala Community, Matthias Basale told this paper that the bridge definitely needs a total repair.
“As I am speaking now, it is now difficult for vehicles travelling to and from Auki to pass through the failing bridge. The structure’s surface has already been washed away by floodwaters due to the heavy rain experienced here.
“The bridge just needs a total repair,” Basale said.
He added that this has caused major setbacks to those that are operating transport businesses in Malaita.
“The bad state of the bridge has affected not only transport operators, farmers and business people but regular passengers to and from Auki.”
Meanwhile, Basale calls on the Ministry of Infrastructure Development or the Malaita provincial government to quickly intervene before something serious happens.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
Auki News Bureau
