By Chris Bishop
BAU, Jan 10: Travel between Tondong and Bau has been significantly reduced to just five minutes, thanks to the newly opened Tondong Bridge spanning the Sarawak River, connecting Tondong and Sebuku areas in Bau.
Deputy Minister of Transport Dato Henry Harry Jinep emphasised the importance of the completed RM10.59 million bridge in providing convenience and alternative to those commuting to Bau town.
“With the completion of this bridge, the journey from Tondong to Bau town or vice versa now takes only five minutes.
“This marks a substantial reduction in travel time compared to using the Pan Borneo Highway (through Kampung Grogo and Kampung Sibuluh) which would typically takes some 15 minutes,” he said after the soft launch of the Tondong-Sebuku Bridge at Balai Raya Tondong here today.
The 120-metre-long and 10-metre-wide Tondong Bridge, initiated in 2019, had faced delays in its scheduled completion in 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and geological challenges.
Addressing the eager anticipation of local residents, Harry, who is also the Tasik Biru assemblyman, announced that the bridge is now open for motorists to use.
“When the bridge was completed, residents have been asking when they can use it. So, there is no reason for us to wait anymore. Even though this ceremony is just a soft launch, the bridge is now accessible to traffic.
“The official opening ceremony will be organised by the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak,” he added.
Furthermore, Henry shared that JKR Sarawak has submitted a request for a RM25 million allocation to upgrade the four-kilometre road from Tondong Bridge to Sebuku.
This improvement project includes widening and elevating the road to mitigate potential flooding issues. — DayakDaily
