BY LORETTA B MANELE
The airfield upgrade in Santa Cruz, Temotu Province is advancing steadily towards completion, marking a step in improving connectivity, safety and climate resilience of the Solomon Islands aviation sector.
A statement from the Project Support Team (PST) of the Second Solomon Islands Roads & Aviation Project (SIRAP2) yesterday said the upgrade delivered under SIRAP2 is funded by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Communication and Aviation (MCA), with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) as the contractor and Egis as the construction supervision consultant.
Recent progress is said to include the application of prime coat on the final sections of the runway (CH1+260 to CH1+330).
Shoulder treatment for the phase 1 works is also noted as “complete” except for areas near the temporary terminal building.
Meanwhile ongoing works include;
– rock revetment at the eastern end, with geo-bag installation reaching eighth of ten layers and scheduled for backfilling in mid-November 2025
– sealing of the remaining runway, with pre-coasting of aggregate underway with remaining materials expected to arrive in the coming week
Meanwhile, construction of the new terminal building and installation of airfield ground lighting are to commence shortly.
Alwyn Danitofea, MCA Permanent Secretary commended the project team for their commitment.
“The progress at Santa Cruz Airfield reflects the strong collaboration between all stakeholders- from the project support team to the contractor, the supervision consultant, and the local community. Once completed, this upgraded infrastructure will greatly enhance connectivity, safety, and economic opportunities for the people of Temotu Province,” he said.
Apart from this project, the statement mentions that SIRAP2 is also involved in other projects, namely;
– construction of the Noro Roads and four new bridges in Malaita
– upgrades to Honiara and Munda Airports and Suavanao Airfield in Isabel Province
– investments in air navigation systems in Makira-Ulawa and Temotu Provinces
– maintenance of regional airports
– rehabilitation of 21km of East Road between Baratolo and Atori
– sealing of 12km of North Road between Auki Gwaunaru’u Airfield Junction and Kwaisuliniu Road Junction
Photo: Project Support Team (PST), SIRAP2
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