MORE than RM166 million has been allocated by the federal government to implement 20 road projects, including 18 continuation projects, for 2012.
Of these 20 projects, five have been completed and 12 under various stages of implementation.
Some of the on-going projects are the building of the Batu Kawa bridge; Pujut 7-Tudan-Kuala Baram road upgrade; Tun Jugah-Jalan Song-Upland Interchange road upgrade; Batang Lawas bridge; Rh Kuta/Ugap-SK Rantau Panjai road project; Balingian-Jalan Persekutuan Sibu/Bintulu; Sg Pandaruan bridge; and the Kuala Balingian-Kuala Tatau road project.
Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said in his winding-up speech yesterday that the Batu Kawa bridge project was divided into two packages.
The first package, for the construction of the second parallel bridge, was completed in December last year.
Construction of the second package, which includes design, construction and completion of repair works to the existing bridge, and the construction and completion of the approach roads and associated works at a cost of RM27,269,527, started on Dec 16 last year and is about seven per cent completed.
“The whole project is scheduled to be fully completed and opened to the public on Dec 15, 2013.
“Work on the RM115,567,129 Pujut 7-Tudan-Kuala Baram road upgrading in Miri started on April 11 last year. The project is progressing smoothly at 41 per cent and is scheduled to be fully completed by April 10, 2013.
“Construction of the RM49,959,531 Tun Jugah/Jalan Song/Upland Interchange road upgrading project started on March 17 last year is set for completion by March 16, 2013. The project is slightly ahead of schedule at 51.4 per cent.”
On the RM29,785,734 Batang Lawas bridge project which started last Jan 19, he said the project was progressing well and scheduled to be completed by July 18, 2014.
Others he mentioned is the RM56,866,703 road from Rh Kuta/Ugap to SK Rantau Panjai which is scheduled to be completed on Aug 24 this year.
The work progress is currently at 59 per cent.
The RM84,148,165 Balingian-Jalan Persekutuan Sibu/Bintulu road project, awarded last Feb 25, is scheduled for completion on Feb 14, 2014.
As for the RM20,801,468 Sg Pandaruan bridge to link the country (at Limbang) with Brunei Darussalam (at Temburong), the contract period is 15 months and scheduled for completion by Aug 14, 2013.
The cost of the bridge would be shared by both governments.
The construction and completion of the 15 Km Jalan Kuala Balingian-Kuala Tatau costing RM30,907,031 has reached 24.7 per cent.
It is scheduled to be completed by Oct 26 this year.
“Two projects under final stages of planning are the building of the Batang Sadong bridge at Kampung Buloh, Samarahan, and Sungai Rimbas bridge at Pusa in Betong.
“The RM211,385,628 Batang Sadong bridge involves the construction of a 1,480-metre long RC bridge across the river.
“The Sungai Rimbas bridge involves the construction of a 300-metre RC bridge across Sungai Rimbas to link the old Pusa town to the new Pusa town. For 2012, the sum of RM5.6 million was approved.
To date, survey works have been completed and site investigation is being carried out. The estimated cost of the bridge is RM48 million.”
To date, an expenditure of RM37,814,550 had been used for these on-going projects, he said.