The Australian Government has provided K6 million ($A3.1 million) to upgrade the Kokoda Track safety facilities.
This is in addition to another Australian Government allocation last September of A$1.8 million (K3.6 million) to fast-track work to enhance safety at the track.
Kokoda Track Authority (KTA) CEO Rod Hillman said the initiative would see improvements to roads, airstrips, trekker safety and most importantly communications.
Mr Hillman said the twin otter aircraft crash which killed 9 Australians on August 12 last year was a "trigger" for the KTA establishment.
More than 4,600 people completed the 96 km trek last year and more than 20,000 since year 2000.
Mr Hillman who is based in PNG and responsible for delivering the upgraded services, said the project would see better navigational systems installed at the Kokoda airstrip and the lengthening of the landing zone to 855m, from the current 700-750 metres.
This will enable larger aircraft such as a 38-seat Dash 8plane to land, in addition to the smaller 19-seat Twin Otter that normally serves Kokoda.
Near Port Moresby, the 16km access way to the starting point at Ower's Corner, will be upgraded from a "rough dirt road" to an all-weather gravel road making it easier for tour operators to transport trekkers.
Additional radio communication points are also to be installed in all villages along the Track, with a second radio band.
This would enable operators to talk with their respective PNG bases and other operators, thus beefing up emergency and safety operations.
Source - The National
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