Construction of support pillars not affecting bridge structure, says JBALB

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The still not completed pipeline and its two sets of support pillars under construction over Bukar River and parallel with the bridge. No workers were at the site when this photo was taken. – Photo courtesy of Winston Way

SERIAN (Jan 20): The support pillars currently being built near a bridge at Kampung Panchor Dayak here for the supply of water do not compromise the bridge’s structure, said the Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB).

JBALB deputy director (Technical) Thomas Lucas Santang said this when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday, after being shown photos of the support pillars taken by a villager.

“The support pillars are an independent pipe support structure, so it does not compromise the bridge’s structure,” he said.

He also directed the villagers to notify the Public Works Department (JKR) as issues regarding the structure of bridges are under the department’s purview.

When met recently, concerned residents of the village questioned the design of the support pillars which they claimed to be potentially hazardous.

They also alleged that the construction works had compromised the bridge’s structure.

One of them, Alambuana Aus, said the two sets of support pillars, constructed to accommodate the pipeline for treated water supply, had proven to be an impediment for the fluent course of the Bukar River, above which the line went across, thus causing large debris like dead trees and bamboos as well as non-natural rubbish to build up and blocking the river water flow.

“The bridge already has one support section built under it right in the middle of the river, and often in the past, this had already caused blockages due to build-up of debris from upriver, but with the new addition of the two sets of support pillars for the pipeline, the blockages (which have happened many times after their construction) have proven to be much, much worse.

“Not only such occurrences would be a regrettable eyesore, even more worrying is they (blockages) could end up being unintended natural dams which could cause flash floods.

“Worse, the ‘dams’ could add extreme flood water pressure to the bridge and damage the structure as a result,” said Alambuana, 47, a farmer from the village.

The bridge over the Bukar River, a tributary of Batang Samarahan, was built in the 1960s and the said water pipeline under construction runs parallel with it, on the upriver side of the bridge.

The project related to the laying of the pipeline was announced by the Sarawak government in early 2020 and was scheduled to be completed in July that year.

It has yet to be finished, with the delay likely brought about by the current pandemic.

The damaged bridge railing and the concrete supports. – Photo courtesy of Winston Way

Alambuana suggested for the design for the pipeline across the river to be reconsidered, perhaps by attaching it directly to the Bukar River bridge and not via a separate structure.

“That should be the right way (to connect the pipeline across). A similar pipeline was built along and to the bridge (on the downriver side of the structure), so why couldn’t the new one be constructed in the same way? Why must the two sets of unnecessary pillars be built?” he questioned.

Another villager, Winston Way, pointed out that the construction works for the pipeline had caused damage to the bridge.

Winston, 47, claimed to have witnessed himself how the building contractor’s workers used heavy machinery placed on top of the bridge to lift and thrust concrete pillars into the river bed below.

“One can see that the bridge is now damaged, especially the railings on the upriver side (where the pipeline is currently built). Here and there, there are curved parts of the metal rails and some of the concrete support posts for the rails are completely smashed.

“This could have compromised the integrity of the railing. Apart from that, who knows, the use of heavy machinery on the bridge could have damaged the structure of the bridge itself.

“The workers appeared to have also dismantled some of the bridge’s metal end railings. Some are no longer attached to its ground support. One railing even is lying on the ground and could be stolen by thieves any time soon should it is still overlooked like that,” said Winston.