KUALA NERANG: The project to build a new bridge in Kampung Setol, Yan, as the old one collapsed due to the water surge incident on Aug 18, is now in the procurement process, said Rural Development Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid(pix).
He said that his ministry, together with the Public Works Department (PWD), will construct a temporary bailey bridge in the near future for residents to use before the permanent bridge is completed.
“When we embark to build the (new) bridge, (since) it has to be designed by PWD, it will take a little time to build a new (permanent) bridge,” he said at a press conference, after presenting the Community Development Department (Kemas) Outstanding Service awards here yesterday.
Last Thursday, more than 500 villagers reportedly urged the government to expedite the construction of the new bridge, after the old structure collapsed due to the water surge incident.
One of the villagers, Azhar Saad, 54, was quoted to have said that the absence of the bridge forced them to use an alternative route that was twice the distance.
Mahdzir said that only the construction of the new bridge has yet to be implemented while other repair works such as the Kemas kindergarten and village road which are under his ministry’s purview were currently being carried out.
On floods that have currently hit Kedah, he said that the village roads under his ministry were not too badly affected so far, although there were certain locations that needed repair with the cooperation of the district office.
For the record, a total of 858 people from 233 families have been evacuated as of 4 pm yesterday, to 11 temporary evacuation centres (PPS) in four districts, namely, Pendang, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena and Baling.-Bernama
