THE Penang government had recently welcomed a new chief to lead the Public Works Department (PWD) in the state earlier this year and is ever confident that with his phenomenal experience in the field, Dr G. Balamurugan is the right man to fit into the role.
Balamurugan, who took office effective Jan 21 this year, was warmly welcomed by state Transport and Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari at his office today for a dialogue session.
“Firstly, I would like to thank the state government for giving me the opportunity to tap into my areas of expertise for the benefit of road users in Penang through various road development programmes in the state.
“As the new director, my role here is to ensure developments planned by the state or Federal governments are carried out effectively and completed according to the deadlines.
“Apart from that, my team and I are also responsible to ensure the works we carry out meet people’s needs and preferences.
“Providing them with the best quality of works and world-class developments are ways to make sure we keep them safe and happy on the road,” he said during the dialogue session with Zairil.
Balamurugan, who hails from Perak and has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Structural Engineering from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), started his career in the Ministry of Works in 2000 as a civil engineer.
Consecutively, he went on to serve within the public sector (JKR portfolio) in states such as Selangor, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak and now in Penang.
One of the key topics that raised during the dialogue was the issue of potholes.
Zairil said the issue of potholes has often been the limelight among road users in Penang.
“This issue is often one of the most frequently talked about in the town.
“Can you share with us what exactly are the reasons behind the occurrence of potholes and possibly even share about solutions that can be taken to address this matter?” Zairil asked.
In response, the composed Balamurugan said the issue is not something new.
“On the road, we cannot escape without seeing a single pothole.
“There are many defects on the road that we encounter daily, but the more visible ones that often catch the eye are the potholes.
“Some of the reasons potholes exist is due to the technicality of the road, use of low-quality materials and poor workmanship,” he added.
Balamurugan also said the other reason that highly contributes to the occurrence of potholes is overweight vehicles.
“Heavy vehicles and devices such as lorries, trucks and concrete mixers at construction sites or factories often contribute to this scenario as well.
“The Ministry of Works is currently planning to implement a mechanical solution called Weight in Motion (WIM) nationwide.
“This solution will see trucks, lorries and other heavy vehicles weighed and identified based on sensors placed on the roads that they would drive on.
“Through this method, when a heavy vehicle is transporting items exceeding the weight according to guidelines set by the authorities, the data would be processed to JKR, which will then be sent to the Road Transport Department (JPJ) for further action,” he added.
According to Balamurugan, Port Klang is likely to be the first place in Malaysia to see this effort being implemented.
Separately, he also extended his heartfelt appreciation to the state government for showing great concern towards road users in Penang by preparing various allocations for JKR to further better the road development in the state.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar