PEKAN: A Bailey bridge built at Section 102 of the Kuantan-Segamat road, which was temporarily closed to all traffic following a sinkhole incident on Dec 6, will be completed next week.
The construction of the 30m-long Bailey bridge which began today is expected to be completed in a week.
Pahang Public Works Department (PWD) director Datuk Hafizah Zakaria said the Bailey bridge, which can support up to 20 tonnes of weight, would serve as a temporary solution until a permanent bridge is built.
"Thirty-five PWD staff including from our Temerloh and Pekan office, and the Pahang mechanical engineering units who have the expertise in installing Bailey bridges are involved here. Work will be carried out around the clock.
"We hope to finish installing the bridge within seven days and it largely depends on the weather conditions… since cranes are involved, work cannot be done during heavy rain. The single-carriageway Bailey bridge is 30m long and 9m in width," she told reporters after accompanying Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah who visited the sinkhole site here today.
Meanwhile, Hafizah said the Pahang PWD would seek allocations from the Works Ministry to build a permanent bridge which could take about three years.
"We plan to build a proper bridge as a long term solution at the sinkhole site and is expected to cost around RM17 million. The duration to complete construction works also depends on the bridge design," she said.
On the cause of the sinkhole, Hafizah said the huge volume of underground water resulting from continuous heavy rain in the area had led to the incident.
"The swift moving water underground had led to a section of the road to collapse before the sinkhole appeared," she said.
The Kuantan-Segamat road was closed on Jan 6 following a sinkhole incident and the stretch was closed to all vehicles.