THE three major bridge projects announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak last year to connect the state’s coastal areas are proceeding according to plan.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the three bridges will be built in Batang Igan, Batang Rambungan and Batang Lupar, respectively.
The Batang Igan bridge, said Fadillah, has entered the engineering and value management stage to determine the work scope involved in its construction.
“As for the Batang Rambungan bridge, a consultant has been appointed to finalise the design of the facilities.
“The same goes for the Batang Lupar bridge project, which will be jointly funded by the federal and state governments,” he told reporters here, today.
Najib, during his visit to the state last year, had announced the government’s approval of the construction of the three bridges, which cost RM1.43 billion.
The construction of the Batang Lupar bridge will cost RM1 billion, while the construction of bridges crossing the Batang Igan and Batang Rambungan rivers will cost RM300 million and RM130 million.
On another matter, Fadillah said the Traffic Management Programme (TMP) has been activated to facilitate the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway in the state.
Apart from minimising traffic inconvenience, he said, the standard operation procedure is also meant to ensure the safety of road users at the affected routes during the construction of the multi-billion ringgit highway.
“Projects involving road constructions such as the Pan Borneo Highway will usually lead to traffic diversions and are bound to cause inconvenience to road users.
“To mitigate such problems, the TMP will allow parties involved in the construction to issue traffic diversion notices, among others,” he said.