Road completion delayed one more year

Article of October 13, 2010

THE RM57mil Teluk Kumbar-Pekan Genting road straightening and widening project in Penang has been delayed yet again.

The project, which was scheduled for completion next month, will only be ready by Sept 19 next year.

State Works, Utilities and Transportation Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said the delay was due to technical site problems.

“The contractor faced problems because of the hilly terrain and slopes. To date, 72% of the work has been completed. We have been opening the road in sections. The final stretch will be ready in about 10 months and hopefully there will be no more delays,” he said on Monday.

Lim said road users need not worry about the rainy season as erosion and landslides were unlikely.

“Work on the dangerous areas have been done,” he said, adding that the wet season would not slow down the workers.

The road straightening and widening project is slotted under Package 2B of a three-package project to straighten and improve the road between Bayan Lepas and Balik Pulau.

It commenced in April 2005 and was originally scheduled for completion in April 2007 but was abandoned in May 2008 after several extensions of the deadline.

Sarahon Construction Sdn Bhd, a Class A bumiputra contractor from Sarawak, was finally selected to finish the Federal Government project.

The project, which is deemed to be crucial for positive development of the Balik Pulau area, involves the building of six bridges to cut off road bends that will make journeys to Penang island’s southwest area both safer and shorter.

The new road will shorten the drive (from Bayan Lepas to Balik Pulau) by about 10 minutes while cutting down the distance from 4.5km to 3.3km.

Package 2A to widen and straighten the road between Teluk Kumbar and Bayan Lepas town was not approved under the 9th Malaysian Plan.

Package 1 to widen and improve a 2.5km stretch between Balik Pulau and Pekan Genting has been completed.

Quoted:

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/10/13/north/7204827&sec=north

UPDATE:

THE road straightening and widening project between Teluk Kumbar and Pekan Genting in Balik Pulau will now only be completed in November.
Quoted: (http://www.bayancity.com/a-long-and-winding-road/)