Ministry, FRA To Erect Guide Fence For Safety Precaution
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Fiji Roads Authority will build a guide fence along the new Rewa Bridge as a safety precaution for users.
Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Vijay Nath confirmed this yesterday following the closure of the old Rewa Bridge to pedestrians.
Mr Nath said that although the existing bridge is of international safety standard, the influx of students during school days is a concern.
“We are concerned about the safety of school children who cross the bridge in numbers to attend school as the old Rewa Bridge was closed to all pedestrians,” Mr Nath said.
“The guide fence is simply to avoid children stumbling onto the roadway,” he said.
“FRA in consultation with the surrounding communities and schools to mitigate the risk of students falling onto the roadway came up with this suggestion.”
The decision to install the guide fence was made by FRA.
FRA’s acting chief executive officer Robert Sen said that FRA was making arrangements for the fabrication and installation of the guide fence on the bridge.
“We have consulted with the heads of schools in Nausori prior to the bridge closure to create awareness amongst the school children who will be using the new bridge,” Mr Sen said.
“FRA is also counting on the support of parents and school teachers to supervise the large number of school children who will use the new bridge,” he said.
“There are thousands of students who now use the bridge as well as other members of the public and we are strongly advising motorists to please slow down and adhere to the signs posted.
Four schools namely Lelean Memorial School, Dilkusha Boys School, Dilkusha Girls School and Dilkusha High School with a combined roll of 3500 students use the bridge daily.
The other schools are Vunimono Sanatan Primary School, Nausori District School, Vuci Methodist School and Saraswati College.
The construction is expected to commence soon and expected to finish by the end of this month.
Edited by Karalaini Waqanidrola
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