REPAIR OF GUA MUSANG-JELI ROAD COMPLETED - JKR

GUA MUSANG, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- The stretch at Kilometre 35 of the Gua Musang-Jeli Road, which collapsed last year due to land subsidence, has now been fully reconstructed at a cost of RM4.1 million, said Kelantan Public Works Department (JKR) director Nik Badlihisham Nik Ismail.

He said maintenance and repair work on the collapsed section, which was caused by a damaged culvert, began on Feb 9 and was completed last Sept 25,” he told Bernama today.

Meanwhile, Nenggiri Assemblyman Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani said the road stretch was rebuilt with improved drainage and safety systems.

“The new culverts, which replaced the damaged ones that were over 30 years old, have a more systematic drainage and water flow system,” he said and thanked the Public Works Department for completing the new road.

A motorist, Mohammad Hazerel Ashraf Hazelan, 32, said the newly constructed road, which serves as the main route for villagers travelling to Gua Musang and Jeli, is highly satisfactory, especially during the monsoon season.

“This new road is equipped with safety features such as barriers and reflectors, which are very useful at night,” he said.

Resident Azmi Ariffin, 47, from Kampung Jerek Tengah, said that previously, road users had to rely on a temporary unpaved red-soil road for nearly 10 months to travel to Jeli, Tanah Merah, and Rantau Panjang.

“This road is greatly needed by residents of Kampung Jerek, Kampung Meranto, Kampung Dalam Lah, and Kampung Atas Bukit. We are thankful to JKR, the elected representative, and all parties involved for expediting its construction,” he said.

On Nov 29 last year, it was reported that the closure of Jalan Gua Musang-Jeli had affected over 3,000 residents of eight villages in the Jerek subdistrict, which depend on the road.

As a result, they had to use an alternative road, namely Jalan Jelawang-Sungai Sam, to get to Gua Musang, which took longer and covered a greater distance than usual.

-- BERNAMA