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By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, June 9: The overall progress of the Pan Borneo Highway in Sarawak is now at 95 per cent and will be completed by November this year.
Malaysian Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi noted that the Lambir and Bukit Begunan Sections are currently experiencing issues but they would not affect the project’s completion as motorists can still use the existing stretches despite the rectification works.
For the Lambir Section (Sungai Tangap-Pujut Link Road Works Package or WPC11), he explained that there is a 300-meter stretch road that is experiencing an issue of continuous land movements and thus, it cannot be built as a normal road.
“The (new) design for that road would be a ‘bridge over land’ or a viaduct which would be just like a bridge to avoid damage by landslide. For that, the construction has not started yet.
“Then, there is another issue because the water supply pipe (system) needs to be relocated to another alignment.
“However, the Pan Borneo Highway will not consist of these two works (construction of viaduct and relocation of water pipe system) because even though the works have not started, travellers can still use the existing road to go along the Pan Borneo Highway,” he told DayakDaily in an exclusive interview here today.
For the Bukit Begunan Section (Pantu Junction to Batang Skrang Works Package or WPC04), Nanta said the project was delayed due to some erosion which led to the construction of a rockfill embankment to replace the original design of earthfill embankment.
“That one is being delayed a bit but the vehicles can still pass through the road (despite the works) and we have been given assurance that by November (this year), the section will reach full completion,” he said, adding that the new road alignment and design would ensure the safety of road users passing through the section. — DayakDaily
