JOHOR BARU: THE Sungai Segget revitalisation and beautification project is progressing in its first phase of river cleaning works and underground sewage pipe works, slated to be completed by 2015.
The project is part of the Johor Baru Transformation Plan undertaken by the state government to improve the quality of river water.
The project is all the more crucial after a stretch of road, which is now the Segget Walk, was built over it six years ago.
Due to the poor sewerage system, the river conditions deteriorated, compounded by the city’s drainage system which also flows into the river and into the Johor Straits.
That had prompted the state government to embark on a major facelift along the area.
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) was assigned the RM220 million project which began in July last year.
The project is divided into two phases: the first to clean up the river as well as retrofitting of centralised sewerage treatment system.
Second, to carry out flood mitigation system and river beautification works slated to complete by 2016.
This will include breaking part of Segget Walk near Jalan Wong Ah Fook to pave the way for river widening works. For this, the state government will procure several properties along the road.
IRDA advisory council member Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad told Streets the entire river work development project is slated for completion in 2017.
“The first phase is currently progressing with river cleaning works and retrofitting of the new centralised sewerage system,” said Shahrir at an event in the city centre.
Shahrir said the new sewerage system, designed to trap waste, will ensure that excess water from drains flowing into Sungai Segget would be free from rubbish and pollutants.
“The new system also has a water cleaning system which ensure that the river water stay clean,” he said.
Johor Baru City Council chief whip Datuk Yahya Jaafar said the river widening project will see a 15m width between the river banks.
However, he said the project might affect Jalan Wong Ah Fook as the existing four-lane road will have to be reduced to two lanes.
“We fear that the two-lane road will cause traffic congestion.
“We are in talks with IRDA to turn Jalan Wong Ah Fook into three lanes for better traffic flow,” he said.
Yahya added that if the roads become narrow, it will disrupt the public transport services in the city centre.