ALOR STAR: The Public Works Department (PWD) has begun the process of replacing a culvert at Jalan Nami-Danglau, Sik, which collapsed following heavy rain and cut off the main road leading to six villages and their 2,000 residents.
PWD’s state director, Datuk Samsudin Bakar, said repair works, which began yesterday following reports made by villagers, will take two weeks to complete.
He said the undertaking includes replacing the entire cylindrical culvert with a square-shaped one, and filling in a six metre-deep sinkhole.
“The culvert at the location is over 50 years old and could no longer handle the large amount of running water, especially during heavy rain,” Samsudin said on the sidelines of the state legislative assembly at Wisma Darulaman here today.
"Residents of the six affected villages can use Jalan Gulau as an alternative route to travel in and out,” he added.
Meanwhile, State Information, Rural Development and Poverty Eradication Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah said repair works on the damaged road will cost about RM200,000.
He added that Syarikat Air Darul Aman Sdn Bhd (Sada) is in the process of reconnecting the water piping system which was damaged in the incident.