By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 12: Minister for Transport Sarawak Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin has called on contractors working on the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) project to prioritise public safety and reduce disruption to road users and nearby communities as construction progresses.
While he noted that contractors face numerous challenges during construction, Lee however emphasised that they must always be mindful of how their activities affect road users and local communities.
“As they carry out their work, they should enhance traffic management and exercise extra caution, especially when relocating utilities along the KUTS alignment,” he said in a media release today following a working visit to the ART Interchange Station (SR10) construction site in Simpang Tiga, one of the pivotal stations on the KUTS Red Line, today.
Lee acknowledged that uncharted utilities remain one of the key challenges for contractors and as such emphasised that careful planning is necessary to prevent major disruptions to utility services.
“As we strive to transform Kuching’s public transport for the future, it is equally important for all contractors to minimise inconvenience to the public during construction,” he added.
Upon arrival, Lee and his entourage were welcomed by Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd representatives, led by chief executive officer Ts Mazli Mustaffa, along with the SJCJV, the joint venture contractor comprising Sri Datai Construction (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, JT JV Builders Sdn Bhd, and CHEC Construction (M) Sdn Bhd.
The SJCJV is tasked with constructing and completing the 12.3km Red Line, which stretches from Kuching Sentral to Pending.
During the visit, the Minister was briefed on the latest progress of the Red Line and the interchange station, which is expected to serve as a major connection point between KUTS lines in the future.
Mazli reiterated the Minister’s call, highlighting the company’s ongoing collaboration with contractors to improve traffic management and minimise public inconvenience.
“We continue to refine our processes to ensure that traffic management and utility relocation are handled efficiently. We also work closely with relevant agencies and stakeholders to minimise disruption to local communities,” he said.
Spearheaded by Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd, the KUTS project forms a key component of the Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030. The initiative aims to modernise urban mobility and enhance public transport connectivity in Greater Kuching through the deployment of the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system. — DayakDaily
