By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 24: The construction of the remaining works for the Sarawak Coastal Road under Package D3C has recorded 28.45 per cent physical progress, with a revised completion date set for July 15, 2027.
The work package involves the construction of a 7km single carriageway road built to JKR R5 Standard, connecting Jalan Kampung Tanjung Bako and the Jalan Kuching–Samarahan Highway, which also includes the 39.8-metre-long Loba Gong Bridge.
Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD) Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas conducted a site visit today to assess the project’s progress and shared that the project is currently slightly behind schedule by five days and urged the contractor to step up efforts before the monsoon season sets in.
“It is very critical to connect this area to the other side. We’ve been briefed on the progress—there’s much to improve. We will come back (to monitor) in December to see what we’ve suggested to them will be implemented to ensure that they can improve the progress,” said Uggah.
He explained that the project is now being handled by a rescue contractor, following the termination of the original company that failed to deliver.
“We hope that we don’t have to get another rescue contractor. But it looks like they are improving. They are trying to resolve some of the issues, especially the supplies and materials they need,” Uggah said.
He reminded the contractor to take advantage of the current good weather to speed up progress.
Costing RM106.9 million, the project scope includes the construction of a single-lane two-way carriageway, two signalised intersections, a minor junction, earthworks, drainage, culverts, geotechnical works, traffic management, and the installation of road furniture. It also covers utility relocation, protection works, and street lighting by Sarawak Energy Berhad.
Once completed, Uggah said, the road will significantly ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity for the surrounding areas.
“This means after the road is completed, people don’t have to go past the industrial area but instead use this new road directly to the other side. That means there’ll be reduced traffic here and less congestion in this area,” said Uggah.
The three packages: D3A, D3B and D3C form a critical part of the Second Kuching-Samarahan Trunk Road corridor. Package D3A covers the construction of the new bridge at Batang Sejingkat Bridge without the access road, while Package D3B involves upgrading the existing road at Tanjung Bako to JKR R5 standard. Package D3C is the new single-carriageway road spanning about 7km from Tanjung Bako to the Batang Samarahan bridge. —DayakDaily
