Red Line project: Upgrading of roads to Pan Borneo Highway to JKR standard to be done in phases

Nanta fielding questions from reporters at Abang Johari and wife Juma'ani's open house at BCCK on April 22, 2023.

By Wilfred Pilo and Karen Bong

KUCHING, April 22: The repair or upgrading of existing roads connecting the Pan Borneo Highway to the Public Works Department (JKR) standard under the Red Line project will be done in phases.

While the allocation for the Red Line project is ready, Minister of Works Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi said it might not be sufficient and, as such, works under the Red Line project along Pan Borneo Highway will need to be done in phases.

“Currently, the focus is on completing the entire stretch of Pan Borneo Highway, especially unfinished works.

“These include areas such as Bukit Begunan, which requires special attention and the construction of strong erosion control barriers due to the hilly terrain. Another area is near Lambir in the north due to soft soil issues, which will require another kind of design and approach,” he told reporters today.

He said these works are included under the Red Line project, which refers to upgrading existing roads connected to the Pan Borneo Highway according to JKR standards and covers about 200km of the roads from Kuching to Miri.

Nanta was met at Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Puan Sri Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here.

On the progress of Phase 1 of the billion-ringgit Pan Borneo Highway project, he added that the project is now 94 per cent completed. — DayakDaily