Agencies Identifying Causes Of Damage On Sultan Ismail Suspension Bridge - Jwn

KUALA KRAI, March 20 (Bernama) -- The National Heritage Department (JWN), alongside the Kuala Krai District Council (MDKK), the Public Works Department (JKR), and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS), are currently engaged in identifying the root causes of the damage affecting the Sultan Ismail Suspension Bridge in Kuala Krai.

JWN Eastern Zone director, Mohd Shukri Mohd Isa, highlighted that the bridge, constructed during the British era in the 1920s and designated as a heritage site in 2003, is currently leaning and faces a risk of collapse if not promptly repaired. 

"As initial measures, we plan undertake temporary embankment reinforcement work and repair river channels to prevent more serious damage," he told Bernama during an inspection to assess the condition of the bridge, accompanied by officials from MDKK, JKR, and JPS, recently.

Mohd Shukri noted that the JWN, operating under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, will prioritise the heritage conservation of the bridge to ensure its preservation and prevent collapse, while JPS will furnish reports concerning soil structure, river flow planning, and other pertinent matters.

Previously, residents expressed concerns about the bridge's integrity, prompted by cracks in its structure and soil erosion in the vicinity, heightening fears of imminent collapse.

The Sultan Ismail Suspension Bridge, distinguished by its European architectural style, measures 21 metres in length and nine metres in width.

It was once a crucial land conduit between Kuala Krai and Kota Bharu, but fell into disuse in 1986 following the construction of a new bridge nearby.

-- BERNAMA