KUCHING, March 14: Batu Kawa road here is to be upgraded with the installation of a centre divider barrier in three phases under a federal government fund of RM4 million.
Minister for Local Government and Housing Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the project will include the upgrade of the 1.42km stretch of Batu Kawa road from Malihah Matang junction to Batu Kawa Bridge which costs RM1.5 million.
Another part of the project is the 2.94km road upgrade from the bridge to the Stephen Yong traffic light junction, where 2.4km will be equipped with concrete divider barriers and the remaining 540m with steel barriers, altogether costing RM2.4 million.
“Thank you (Senior Minister of Works) Datuk Seri Fadilah Yusof and the federal JKR (Public Works Department) for these two packages as well as the RM2.5 million upgrade of Jalan Batu Kawa from Batu Kawa bridge to Paragon Concrete end of last year,” he said in his Facebook post yesterday (March 13).
With these three projects approved, Dr Sim who is also Batu Kawah assemblyman, is looking at three more federal road upgrade packages covering first, the stretch from Highfield, Batu Kawa to the bridge, second from Batu Kawa service centre to Malihah junction and finally, from Taman Desa Wira to MJC.
From the state government, he added Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in Jan 2021 had announced the approval of a new 9.5km dual carriageway from Jalan Stephen Yong to FRC, Matang with a budget of RM250 million which is in detail designed stage now before tender.
“Batu Kawa road has always been congested during peak hours and it is prone to accidents recently, that is why I wish to bring up this issue to seek permanent solution from JKR,” he said when visiting the project site at Batu Kawa yesterday.
Also present for the briefing were JKR Sarawak Assistant Director (Road Maintenance) Ir Awang Fadillah, JKR Kuching Division Assistant Ir Bong Yan Phing and the term contract contractor. — DayakDaily
