By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 27: The Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) project engineer and contractor have agreed to widen the drainage outlet along Jalan Tun Jugah to enhance the discharge of stormwater as an interim measure following concerns raised by Jalan Durian Burung residents.
In a press release, Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap said this followed a visit to the project site today, adjacent to the Federal Staff Quarters, where he conveyed residents’ concern.
“Residents had expressed concern that the existing roadside open drain had been buried by the contractor and replaced with inadequately sized metal pipes, raising fears that the reduced drainage capacity could worsen flash flooding in the area, which has long been recognised as flood-prone.
“They appealed for larger temporary culverts and proper drainage infrastructure to be installed to minimise the risk of flash flooding while awaiting the implementation of the long-term flood mitigation project,” he said.
Following discussions, the project engineer and contractor agreed to further widen the drainage outlet as an interim measure pending the arrival of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), which is expected in early August.
“Upon the commencement of TBM operations, the underground crossing beneath Jalan Tun Jugah is expected to be completed by October, allowing for a more permanent drainage solution,” he said.
Yap also welcomed the contractor’s willingness to take immediate remedial action and thanked the project team for responding positively to the residents’ concerns.
He said he would continue to closely monitor the progress of the works to ensure that the agreed improvements are carried out promptly and that every effort is made to minimise the risk of flash flooding for residents of Jalan Durian Burung.
“Development must always go hand in hand with the wellbeing of the people. While we support important public transport infrastructure such as the KUTS project, we must also ensure that construction activities do not adversely affect nearby residents.
“I will continue to work closely with the relevant agencies, engineers and contractors to ensure practical solutions are implemented without delay,” he said. — DayakDaily
