BY SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA & ALVERDTEKOSTER ANYAP
BAU: The construction of a dual carriageway road from the Pan Borneo Highway to Bau will be tendered in October this year.
This was revealed by Transport Deputy Minister Datuk Henry Harry Jinep who said the RM100 million project is funded by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government.
He said it is currently in the design phase and awaiting approval stage before the tendering process.
“The first phase is 5.4km long from Kampung Sibuluh to the Bau town.
“Meanwhile, the second phase is 5.8km long from Bau town to Batu Kitang,” he said.
He was speaking to the press after officiating the Bau Bicentennial Bridge today.
The Tasik Biru assemblyman said one of the main issues faced for the construction of roads is the relocation of services such as water pipes and electricity.
“With the construction, improvement or expansion of roads, we have to relocate these services which is costly, but it is part of the process,” he said.
When asked about the completion of streetlights using solar from Batu Kitang to Bau, Jinep said the project costed RM2 million.
“We decided to go for solar because it is quicker to install. Moreover, when we upgrade the roads to dual carriageway, we can relocate the streetlights easily.
“If we were to use the conventional wire streetlights, you would have to cut and reconnect the wires for relocation and it would be a longer process,” he said.
