Subsidence Along Sungai Pulai Bridge Route: Repairs To Start This July - Works Ministry

KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- Permanent repair works at several subsidence-affected locations along the Sungai Pulai Bridge route in Pontian, Johor, are expected to begin in July 2026, pending finalisation of the contractor appointment.

The Works Ministry, in a statement, said that the Letter of Acceptance (SST) for the contractor’s appointment is expected to be issued in that month, with the repair works estimated to take about a year to complete.

The ministry said the development follows the finalisation of a new repair design using a piling system method (Transition Pile RC Slab) by the developer, Seaport World Wide Sdn Bhd, together with the appointed engineering consultants.

“The developer is now required to submit a traffic management plan (TMP) to the Johor Public Works Department (JKR) for approval before permanent repair works can be carried out.

It added that the subsidence issue was identified following a road acceptance audit by Johor JKR in June 2023, which found that the rate of subsidence exceeded the permitted range - over 300mm - thus requiring comprehensive repair action.

“Accordingly, several approaches were studied, including the use of an Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) system, before a new method was proposed due to cost constraints,” he said.

On April 12, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan inspected the bridge following concerns raised by road users and the state government. The Sungai Pulai Bridge has been confirmed to be structurally sound, although soil subsidence has been detected at 10 locations along the route.

Meanwhile, the Works Ministry said that the developer will be fully responsible for maintaining the bridge route, including road cleaning works, maintenance of road shoulders, drains, culverts, and grass cutting.

“The developer is also fully responsible for road patching, maintenance of road furniture, and street lighting until it is officially handed over to the Pontian JKR.

“The ministry will continue to closely monitor the implementation of this project to ensure all actions comply with technical standards and prioritise public safety,” it said.

The Sungai Pulai Bridge, which connects the Tanjung Pelepas Port area, Gelang Patah, and Tanjung Bin, has been open to users since January 2023 as part of a strategic infrastructure development in southern Johor.

-- BERNAMA