JKR undertaking immediate repair works at the pothole-ridden stretch of Beluru road.
MIRI (Sept 23): The Public Works Department (JKR) will be undertaking soil investigation works to resolve the perennial pothole-ridden stretch of roads in Beluru district.
Divisional engineer Stephen Ung said this when contacted by The Borneo Post on the action to be taken following a call on the issue by Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil earlier this week.
“We will conduct a soil investigation to this section of road to get a better understanding of its properties and come out with an upgrading work to improve the soil foundation,” he said.
On Monday, the deputy minister called on the department to resolve this perennial problem at the stretch near Rumah Morgan in Sungai Nipa.
The Marudi assemblyman was quoted as saying that the constant band aid patch work to fill the potholes would not resolve the underlying problem and called for JKR to do a soil investigation to find out the root of the problem.
A visit to the scene discovered that the potholes were deep and severe enough to cause damage to vehicles and could pose risks to all road users.
According to Ung, repair works had been completed the following day after this issue was highlighted in The Borneo Post on Sept 20.
This, he said, would serve as a temporary measure pending the outcome of the soil investigation works.
Road users have griped about the poor condition of this stretch over the past decade, saying that JKR has failed to provide a lasting solution to the road maintenance issues.
A similar problem at the previous Miri-Bintulu road near Laku Water Treatment Plant was, however, eventually resolved with piling and reinforced engineering works.