In 2015, the road corridor along Queens Road between Nasoso Road and Votualevu Roundabout underwent extensive road widening and utilities infrastructure upgrade with local residents and visitors to Nadi enjoying a much improved travel experience on the newly upgraded four lane road.

As part of its Nadi and Suva Road and Infrastructure Upgrading Project (NASRUP) Programme and in order to ensure a sustainable natural environment along our road corridors, the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) will be restoring natural beauty to the ‘International Gateway to Fiji’ in Nadi.

This will be through a multi-staged landscaping enhancement that will ultimately showcase and be representative of the flora that can be found on our tropical island paradise.

At the same time, the FRA will be endeavoring to incorporate appropriate environmental mitigation, wherever possible, through further tree planting without compromising collision safety requirements and also driver and pedestrian sightlines.

FRA NASRUP programme manager Zaina Khan said: “The landscaping enhancement will be carried out in three stages termed as Bronze, Silver and Gold.

“These stages represent the placing, colour, growth, shaping and relocation programme for the plants, flowers and trees within the landscaped boundary of the wider road corridor.

“This landscaping exercise will be rolled out successively, as we hopefully enter the wet season; in early September and October 2016, then through to March 2017 and beyond into the sequenced completion of the Nadi N2 Project along Queens Road from Votualevu Roundabout up to Wailoaloa Road.”

However, whilst precious taxpayers’ funds are invested in upgrading roads and infrastructure for the public to be able to travel safely and smoothly and then to enhance community amenities and pride, it is sad to see that people continue to damage our assets.

“Our contractors, subcontractors and suppliers work hard for improvement and it is very disappointing to know that people are negligently and deliberately harming the plants and trees after such a great effort from the workforce. Most recently three palm trees were chopped down overnight at the Nasoso Road intersection.”

The FRA is calling on the public to be vigilant and report any acts of vandalism and theft of the landscaping to the Fiji Police Force.

“We are urging the public to please be responsible; stop theft and vandalism and also report these crimes if you see them happening.

“Also, both pedestrians and drivers alike, please protect our new plants whilst they are young and fragile from trampling by looking where you are walking and driving.

“We should remember this is the first visitor image for tourists to our beautiful tropical islands with its spectacular scenery and seascape filled with soft corals and brightly coloured fish. The end result in Nadi, will bring Fiji’s Tropical Flora to our International Gateway to Fiji.”

Source: FIJI ROADS AUTHORITY

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