Sungai Pulai Bridge Safe, Developer Told To Repair Affected Road Sections

PONTIAN, April 12 (Bernama) -- The Sungai Pulai Bridge has been confirmed to be structurally sound, even though 10 locations along the route have experienced soil subsidence.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan said the affected road sections will be repaired immediately by the developer.

He said this following a site visit with the district officer, state Public Works Department (JKR), and the developer, Seaport Worldwide, which verified that the bridge structure is sound and safe for use.

Ahmad said the approximately 7.5-kilometre route, including the three-kilometre bridge, remains under the responsibility of the developer and has yet to be handed over to JKR. As such, the developer has been instructed to expedite repair works using a fast-track approach, including 24-hour operations.

“The bridge itself is not affected; it is the road at several locations that have experienced soil subsidence. As the route is still under the developer’s responsibility and has not yet been handed over to JKR, I have instructed that repairs be expedited and completed this year, not next.

“For the benefit of the public and safety of road users, repair works must be carried out on a fast-track basis, including round-the-clock operations, with only partial lane closures,” he said after inspecting the bridge, which connects Gelang Patah and Tanjung Bin, here today.

He said peat soil conditions have been identified as the cause of the subsidence, and suitable repair methods will be used. He also stressed that the route will not be fully closed, but managed through a traffic management plan to ensure continued accessibility.

He also advised the public not to worry, but to remain cautious and adhere to safety instructions while using the route during the repair period.

Yesterday, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi was reported to have urged JKR and the developer to implement more robust repair methods to ensure the bridge’s long-term safety and stability.

Onn Hafiz said the move followed a JKR technical audit, which found significant subsidence exceeding 300 millimetres in less than six months after the bridge was opened on Jan 18, 2023, believed to be due to unstable soil structure and the use of the lightweight Expanded Polystyrene System (EPS) construction method, which was found to be unsuitable for the site conditions.

-- BERNAMA