HOPEFULLY HIGH ENOUGH: The new overhead pedestrian crossing at Mile 17 taking shape with six-metre pillars being erected.
Overhead bridge destroyed, Siburan students risk their lives going to school crossing dual carriageway trunk road
KUCHING: Students of SJK (C) Chung Hua Siburan and parents sending them to school run the risk of being run over by speeding vehicles every school day as they have to cross the dual carriageway Kuching –Serian trunk road to go to class.
The school where most of the children of this Hakka village at Mile 17 of the trunk road go to is located on the other side of the road and since the overhead pedestrian bridge was damaged by a crane early this year, they have been compelled to risk life and limb going to school.
The situation is compounded by errant motorists who broke traffic rules or drive beyond the speed limit.
A worried mother who wanted to be identified only as Liew said last week a mother escorting her daughter to school was almost knocked down by a speeding motorcyclist who beat the traffic lights and few days later a motorcyclist was knocked down right by a pick-up truck which made an illegal U-turn.
They are keeping their fingers crossed that a new overhead bridge being built near the school would be completed before the start of the school term next year.
“We hope that the overhead bridge will be completed soon, the latest before next year’s school term begins,” Liew added.
Thankfully their prayers are being answered as work on the bridge is on schedule and a spokesperson for the contractor Setiayara Electrical Works Sdn Bhd said the bridge would be completed latest by this year end.
While the completion of the new bridge would put to rest the worries of the people there, the controversy surrounding the incident which damaged the old bridge is likely to linger on.
It was alleged that the old overhead bridge did not adhere to the design specifications as its clearance was only 4.5 metres which was much lower than the 6.5 metres required for main trunk roads.
This apparently led to a dispute over the responsibility for the accident as the company transporting refused to take the blame and foot the bill for the new bridge.
Attempts by the SundayPost to verify the allegation from the relevant authorities led to a dead end because all of those approached refused to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile the spokesperson of the contractor building the new bridge assured that it is built to the required specifications and would have a clearance of 6.5 metres.