Tunalia residents urge for bridge repair

Residents of the farming community in Tunalia, in Nadi have acknowledged the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) for repairing their wooden bridge.

After the collapse of the Vuniyasi Bridge a month ago, residents of Tunalia would worried that they too will face the same mishap.

It was good news to many of them that FRA announced that they will conduct an emergency repair at Tunalia Bridge Two, located on Tunalia Road.

FRA chief executive officer Apisai Ketenilagi said the bridge would be temporarily closed for a month to conduct emergency repairs and improvement works due to accelerated deterioration.

He said the closure would be effective from 7pm Sunday, February 9, to 7pm Sunday, March 9.

He said road closure advisory signs would be displayed before the closure to guide motorists along a detour route.

“An alternative route is outlined on the attached locality map. FRA kindly requests motorists to plan their travel accordingly.”

Tunalia resident Abhaya Nand Sharma said school students relied on the bridge to travel to school.

“Now they are taking a route to Aralevu Road which is a long route. Our children going to school, an emergency for us to go to the hospital or those who going to work in town, that bridge is closer access for us,” he said.

“That bridge won’t take a month for repair, and we asked FRA if they could repair it promptly for the sake of our children.

“That wooden bridge has been there for more than 60 years. I am 60 now before I was born it was there,” Mr Sharma said.

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