ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor has become the first in the Asia-Pacific region to use the high-tech Pothole Pro JCB machine to speed up road repairs, in support of the state government’s Zero Pothole initiative.
State Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communication Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said two units, costing RM1.6 million each, were acquired by contractor Safwa Global Venture (M) Sdn Bhd using technology from the United Kingdom.
“These machines, the first of their kind in the region, will help accelerate road repairs in Johor, ensure longer-lasting quality, and reduce the number of machines and manpower required.
“For instance, repairing a pothole measuring one square metre takes about eight minutes to cut and 20 minutes to patch with this technology, much faster than conventional methods, which can take up to an hour,” he told reporters at the launch of Johor’s Latest Road Innovation here today.
He said the machines are expected to cut manpower needs from six workers to three per team, while also shortening the duration of road closures during repair works.
“The machines also produce cleaner and neater cuts with a maximum depth of 120 millimetres, increasing road durability by up to 90 per cent and preventing recurring damage.
“Since last year, we have set a Zero Pothole target. That is why we are adopting this new technology,” he said.
He added that the technology would also support the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), which requires high-quality road infrastructure to sustain economic activity and investment. – Bernama
