MAJOR PROJECT: The base camp is seen by the riverbank near SK Sungai Yong.
SECURE WALL: Concrete soil nailing is used to secure the steep slopes.
THE TEAM: Wong (fourth right), Baharudin (third left) and Public Works Department technical assistant Ting Su Dong (third right) are seen during a photo call at the site.
BIG JOB: Some of the heavy machinery involved in the construction is seen at the site.
FOR SAFETY: Workers work to plant vegetation to prevent soil erosion.
SOLID FOUNDATION: Spun pile will be used to construct the concrete bridge at Sungai Ensilai.
STEEP SECTION: Wong walks up a slope that will require further cutting.
KAPIT: Construction on the road from Jalan Kapit to Sungai Yong is going smoothly ahead of schedule.
According to contractor Musyati Sdn Bhd, the project scheduled for completion by February 2015 is likely to be completed by October next year based on the current progress.
“The road alignment has now been completed. The earthwork is at 60 per cent and work progress is at 30 per cent. There are two bridges to be constructed – 270-metre steel bridge across Sungai Yong and 51-metre RC (reinforced concrete) bridge across Sungai Ensilai. Apart from that there’s levelling of hill terraces, constructing culverts and soil nailing on the steep slopes, road project engineer Wong Kiang Yong told The Borneo Post on Monday during a site visit.
He said work commenced on Aug 8, 2012.
In total the project involves 2.3 million cubic metres of earth, two 50-metre RC bridges at Sungai Ensilai, 250-metre steel bridge at Sungai Yong, 12 culverts including one box culvert in front of Sungai Nyitau, soil nailing, roadside drains, reinforced soil slopes and reinforced soil walls.
The RM64 million infrastructure project comes under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development National Key Result Area (NKRA).
Site agent Baharudin Abdullah said cooperation from the local community has been generally good.
“There were minor issues, but we have managed to solve everything,” he said.
This stretch comes under Section C Phase 2 of the 101km Kapit-Song-Kanowit road which is expected to be ready by 2017.
When contacted, Infrastructure Development and Communication Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin said the overall road project has been divided into different sections awarded to different contractors.
The sections include Jalan Sungai Poi-Nanga Ngungun (15.5km); Jalan Nanga Ngemah-SK Nanga Temalat (9.5km); Jalan SK Nanga Temalat-Sipang-Song (7.6km); and Jalan Sungai Yong-Kapit (9.6km).
“So far, there has not been any sick project along this stretch of road. That is why we are confident that the road can be completed by 2017,” said Manyin.
The Tebedu assemblyman said the government’s priority is to complete the Kapit-Song-Kanowit road as it has been the hope of Kapit folk to be linked by road to the rest of Sarawak.
“We hope to fulfil the dream of the people since they have been waiting for so long that they called the road the ‘dream road’,” he added.