NIBONG TEBAL: The construction of the road connecting Jalan Bukit Panchor to the Federal route FT1 will address safety concerns for residents and spur development in the surrounding area, benefiting the people of Sungai Bakap.
Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said that the project, costing RM11.26 million and covering a 1.2-kilometre route, began in 2022. It has now reached 74.65 per cent completion, 45 days ahead of schedule, and is expected to be fully completed by February next year.
“This project connects the Bukit Panchor Industrial Area, Nibong Tebal, with Jalan Negeri P146-Jalan Bukit Panchor. Currently, vehicles must pass through housing areas and Kampung Ladang Kerian, disrupting community life as heavy vehicles from industries use these routes.
‘This situation creates safety issues for residents as the existing route is narrow and runs through residential areas,‘ he explained at a press conference following his visit to inspect the progress of the road project.
He added that the new road would accommodate up to 1,000 vehicles per day upon completion, connecting Sungai Kechil, Sungai Bakap, Taman Ilmu, and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Transkrian to the town of Nibong Tebal.
Ahmad said that the project under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development and implemented by the Ministry of Works was carried out through an open tender. The scope of work includes constructing new intersections, upgrading existing ones, and building a drainage system.
He noted that an additional RM5 million was allocated for acquiring more than five lots of plantation land for road construction, bringing the total project cost to RM16.26 million.
“I was informed that this area will experience significant development once the road is completed, with planned developments transforming it from plantations to industrial zones. We may not see plantations as they are today, but instead, factories.
“This transformation, from plantation to industrial zone, will benefit the surrounding communities, especially those in Sungai Bakap,” he said.
