Samabula Residents Cry Out Over Road Conditions
One of the oldest and cosmopolitan suburbs in Suva is faced with a very bumpy issue. Residents in Samabula North said they failed to understand why they had been enduring very bad road conditions when they were so close to the city.
Arun Kumar, 65, said he had lived in Samabula all his life and the road conditions of some of the most used roads were deplorable.
“Fulaga Street, Namuka Street, Tubou Street, Bureta Street, Lovoni Road and even Ono Street. These are high traffic roads,” he said.
“Not only that, we are so close to the biggest city in Fiji and look at the road conditions.”
Sailosi Turagabeci, 43, said as a vehicle owner, the road conditions had been the reason for constant repairs.
“Mine is not the only vehicle that has been damaged. I just don’t understand why so much time is being taken to repair the roads around Samabula,” he said.
Streets in Samabula are used as arteries during peak hour traffic, and the area sees traffic in general.
Samabula has many offices, industries, the Fiji National University, a number of churches and schools.
The Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) started road works on other severely deteriorated sections of roads in the Central Division this week.
Included in this are the roads in Samabula.
Acting chief executive officer, Kamal Prasad, said the authority engaged five more contractors to accelerate the road rehabilitation works in the greater Suva area.
Pratt Street, Queens Road (Namuka-i-Lau, Veisari), Nokonoko Road, Ono Street and Nasevou Road are going to be redone.
“To reduce traffic congestion impacts, most of the works will be carried out during off-peak and curfew hours,” Mr Prasad said.
The roadworks will continue until April next year.