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MID urges Honiara residents to stop building on road reserves to protect infrastructure and ease road development.
The Ministry of Infrastructure Development’s (MID) Transport Management Service Division (TIMSD) is calling on property owners and communities in Honiara and across provincial centres to stop the growing encroachment onto designated road reserves—warning that such actions are hindering crucial infrastructure projects.
Road reserves are public land areas set aside for future road expansion, installation of bus stops, and essential utility services such as electricity, water, sewage, and communication lines. According to the Ministry, these spaces are vital for improving transportation and connectivity in urban and rural settings alike.
However, the Ministry reports a growing number of unauthorised structures—such as betel nut stalls, fences, and house extensions—illegally occupying these zones. These encroachments are obstructing drainage systems and complicating the work of road construction crews trying to carry out urgent maintenance and development.
In response, MID is working closely with the Lands Division and the Honiara City Council to address the issue through legal and collaborative means.
“We are collaborating with the aforementioned stakeholders to navigate this issue whilst upholding the rights of property owners, ensuring that our public infrastructure remains functional and accommodates future expansion,” MID stated.
The Ministry urged residents to respect the purpose of road reserves and to refrain from any developments or structures that could interfere with public infrastructure.
“These spaces are vital for the ongoing development of our infrastructure, and we should share the responsibility to maintain them for the benefit of every road user,” the statement emphasized.
The government also highlighted the Honiara Local Planning Scheme 2015, which provides development guidelines across the city, including secondary roads that extend into communities and parts of Guadalcanal Province. In addition, the Road Transport Act offers regulatory frameworks to manage road zones, including the legally mandated 30-metre-wide reserve for primary roads in Honiara.
In support of these measures, MID is also developing a Roads and Bridges Policy to address feeder roads and provincially gazetted roads. Parallel efforts are underway to draft a stand-alone drainage bill, which will work alongside the upcoming National Building Code Bill once passed by Parliament later this year.
“As urbanisation continues at a fast pace in our city, so too do the challenges associated with it,” MID noted. “Let us be reminded of the balancing act we must perform to accommodate individual property rights alongside communal benefits.”
The Ministry calls on all Honiara residents to support ongoing construction and infrastructure development efforts, ensuring a safer, more accessible transport system for everyone.
