The Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) has condemned the careless handling of heavy machinery by a private construction group after a newly sealed section of the Tandai Highway was damaged during the unloading of an excavator.
The incident occurred in front of the Tandai Hotel, where an excavator was unloaded before being transported to a construction site within the hotel premises.
According to engineers’ assessments, the excavator’s steel tracks left chain-mark impressions and caused fractures on the newly laid asphalt. The damage includes surface scratches, asphalt twisting, and exposure of the underlying pavement layers at depths ranging from 3 to 7 millimetres.
MID says the damage will compromise the integrity of the new road by weakening the pavement, increasing water infiltration, and accelerating future deterioration such as cracking, deformation, and pothole formation.
Acting Permanent Secretary Mike Qaqara said the ministry is conducting further assessments to determine the cost of repairs and will pursue the developer and contractor responsible for the damage.
“This is pure negligence and poor operational practices by this group,” Mr. Qaqara said.
“Contractors, developers, and heavy machinery operators have a responsibility to ensure their machinery is transported and operated in a manner that protects public assets.”
The damaged section forms part of the recently completed Tandai Highway to Mendana Avenue Road rehabilitation project, which upgraded the 4.8-kilometre corridor from a two-lane road to a four-lane carriageway.
The project was undertaken to improve road safety, traffic flow, driving conditions, and the long-term resilience of Honiara’s transport infrastructure.
Mr. Qaqara said the ministry will enforce appropriate penalties to protect public investments and deter similar incidents in the future.
He also reminded all contractors and companies involved in construction activities to adopt proper safeguards when transporting tracked machinery on asphalt roads.
These measures include using appropriate loading and unloading platforms, protective mats, and other approved methods to prevent damage to public infrastructure.
“Protecting public infrastructure is a shared responsibility,” Mr. Qaqara said.
The Tandai Highway upgrade is a major investment by the Solomon Islands Government, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the Land and Maritime Connectivity Project (LMCP), which aims to modernise and strengthen the country’s national road network.
