KUCHING, July 4: Contractors for the four flyovers at Mile 4, Mile 6, Mile 7 (Kota Sentosa) and Mile 10 are struggling with a lack of funds to complete these projects with the deadline now less than two years away.
While the initial date of completion for these four projects was scheduled for June next year, it has now been rescheduled to June 2021 due to lack of funding.
Under the previous administration, Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Lo Khere Chiang had stated on numerous occasions that the projects could be completed as originally scheduled, that is on June next year.
However, with the change of federal government on May 9 last year, Lo is now worried, wanting to complete the job but facing the daunting task on how to seek the RM50 million to complete the works.
With the ever increasing traffic volume on the already busy intersections at these four major junctions, Lo has voiced out his dissatisfaction and urged the federal government to expedite the approval of the necessary allocation.
“Malaya should not curtail the present allocation to the RM16 billion Pan Borneo highway. Sarawak provides RM250 million daily to Malaya via oil and gas from Sarawak.
“Malaya should ensure that the Pan Borneo Highway (construction) finishes in the shortest possible time to ease traffic congestion and the inconvenience caused to commuters today,” Lo told DayakDaily here today.
It has been reported that the federal government will take over the Pan Borneo Highway project in September and this could further delay its completion, including these four flyovers.
However, a check on the four sites revealed that construction work is apparently at a snail’s pace, as either there was not enough funding, lack of workers or the projects have stalled altogether.
Under these circumstances, motorists have complained to DayakDaily that the four intersections have caused massive traffic jams along the Kuching-Serian Road on a daily basis.
They even suggested that the state government take over, while some have called for for the implementation of the light rail transit (LRT) which has been approved by the state government to connect Kuching and Kota Samarahan, where the main thoroughfare is also facing similar daily traffic woes. — DayakDaily
