RM1.84mil set aside to repair damaged Teluk Bahang-Balik Pulau road

THE Federal Government has allocated RM1.84mil to repair a 3km stretch of damaged road connecting Teluk Bahang and Balik Pulau in Penang.

The damage was caused by a landslide which occurred because of continuous rain early last month.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said repair works were expected to be completed in December and until then, the road had been closed for public safety.

He said the incident had affected three sections of the road – sections 40.0, 45.4 and 46.8.

“Section 40.0 involves the repair work of a sinkhole which began on July 24 using gabion installation method at a cost of about RM45,000.

“The work at this section is expected to be completed on Sept 23,” he said after a site visit.

Gabions are rectangular baskets fabricated from a hexagonal mesh of heavily galvanized steel wire.

The baskets are filled with rock and stacked atop one another to form a wall.

For sections 45.4 and 46.8, Nanta said the Public Works Department (JKR) would use a tie-back wall method involving the construction of a vertical wall.

He said works for these two sections would cost about RM1.79mil and be completed in December.

He added that the ministry was committed to ensuring the repair and maintenance work on damaged roads in the country was conducted systematically for the sake of the public.

Meanwhile, JKR director-general Datuk Ahmad Redza Ghulam Rasool described the repair work as “challenging” and said that it would take time because of the hilly slopes and narrow paths involved.

“Besides facing the challenge of rainy weather, we must take into account that this is an old road with limited space,” he said.

“We have built a vertical wall to accommodate the load of soil and vehicles.

“This method is seen to be safer and we are also making modifications according to the suitability of the route, which is seen to be quite curved,” said Ahmad Redza.