KUALA LUMPUR: It will be a year before Jalan Batang Kali- Genting in Hulu Selangor, which was hit by a deadly landslide last Friday, can be reopened to the public, said the Works Ministry.
Works Ministry secretary-general, Datuk Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman, said the time is needed to facilitate repairs on the affected slopes and roads.
He said in the meantime, road users will be asked to use alternative routes, which will be announced by the Public Works Department (PWD).
The ministry, he said, will also conduct an in-depth study on slope management at the site once the ongoing search and rescue efforts (SAR) conclude.
"Although the road is fine, we cannot risk opening it to the public until a new slope is made. This could take around a year," he said.
Wan Ahmad Uzir was commenting on the works taking place at the Father's Organic Farm campsite in Gohtong Jaya, where a landslide has so far claimed 24 lives.
He said the incident was not necessarily caused by road works in the area, and that natural causes may have been responsible as underground flow of water was detected.
"It also wasn't triggered by illegal diversion of water sources from the campsite," he said.
He said the ministry is in the process of identifying 1,045 slopes along federal roads in the peninsula which are at high-risk of collapse.
"No developments are allowed in these high-risk areas.
"We have existing guidelines approved by for local councils which need to be adhered to. Based on these guidelines, we have also placed additional criteria, such as no developments in red zone areas," he said.