THE Sungai Pinang Flood Mitigation project (RTB Sungai Pinang) will see an open tender process by the fourth quarter of this year or beginning of next year, according to state Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo
“The RTB Sungai Pinang, costing an estimated RM650 million, is deemed as a crucial flood mitigation project for this neighbourhood.
“The phase one of the RTB Sungai Pinang involves two rivers, Sungai Pinang and Sungai Jelutong,” said Jagdeep during a press conference today.
The Federal government had earlier (in December 2020), approved an allocation of RM 50 million for the Sungai Pinang RTB project, under the first rolling plan (RP1) of 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) for 2021.
Jagdeep said for Sungai Pinang, the work would include construction of flood walls, river improvement, pedestrian bridge upgrading at Jalan Langkawi and Lorong Kulit, road construction at Jalan Kampung Rawa as well as river corridor improvement and beautification.
He added that for Sungai Jelutong, it would involve flood wall construction and other related works.
State Department of Drainage and Irrigation representative Hasniza Mukhtar said the project would undergo a soil investigation process next week.
Meanwhile, Penang Island City Council ( MBPP) engineering director A. Rajendran also gave an update on another flood mitigation project undertaken by MBPP at Jalan P. Ramlee.
“The project, which took off last year in August, is 55 percent completed and is scheduled to be fully completed in August this year.
“It costs RM3.6 million and involves work pertaining to widening of the existing drainage system and road elevation by 500mm (half a metre).
“The council will be also implementing other flood mitigation projects at flood prone-areas, namely at Lebuh Kimberly and Lebuh Cintra.
“The cost for both the projects are RM360,000 (Lebuh Kimberly) and RM350,000 (Lebuh Cintra) respectively.
“The flood mitigation project at Lebuh Kimberly is set to take place this month while the project at Lebuh Cintra is still under the tender process,” added Rajendran.
On a separate matter, Jagdeep said that a total of 700 residents in the Datok Keramat constituency would be receiving provisions as an early Hari Raya gift.
“From today onwards, my team and I will distribute provisions to those families whom we have identified.
“As, the state assemblyman for Datuk Keramat, I would be keep assisting my residents in whatever way that I can,” he added.
Jagdeep also advised the public to keep adhering to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) as we are still combating the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Yesterday, we saw a large of number of cases reported in Penang. This shows that we still need to follow the SOPs strictly.
“Even if you have been vaccinated, do not think that you can disregard the SOPs. The battle is not over yet.
“We can once again become a green zone state if everyone cooperates. So, do your part by following the SOPs. Get yourself registered for the vaccination programme as well,” added Jagdeep.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Law Suun Ting