SHAH ALAM, July 13 — The physical work to repair damaged slopes and road on the Batang Kali – Genting Highlands route will start at the end of August and is expected to be completed in March next year.
State executive councillor for infrastructure and public amenities, agriculture modernisation and agro-based industry Izham Hashim said thus far the progress of the repair project has been going smoothly, before the commencement of physical work.
“After the incident (landslide tragedy), we continued to study and propose solutions to the collapsed slopes. This project was approved in May 2023 and we have appointed (contractors) and it is expected to be completed in March 2024.
“The repair work uses the design and built method. The contractor is in the final phase to finalise the design of the TerraLink wall system. The physical repair work is expected to start at the end of next month,” he said in an exclusive interview with Bernama.
The state government has allocated RM19 million for the process of repairing the slopes and road.
Commenting on a statement issued by Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi that his ministry is still waiting for comments from the Selangor government, Izham said on the state level, they are waiting for the report of the landslide investigation committee, which is being carried out and managed by the Public Works Department (JKR) headquarters’ slope engineering branch.
“The report is now in the final draft, on the causes of the incident and the proposed actions that need to be implemented,” he said.
Currently, only one lane is open and it is limited to workers in the Genting Highlands area.
The 2.30am tragedy on December 16, 2022, involved 92 victims, with 61 of them surviving while another 31 were killed, after a landslide buried the Father’s Organic Farm camping area in Batang Kali.
The heartbreaking incident claimed the lives of 18 adults and 13 children, with 20 bodies found in Sector A, one in Sector B and 10 more in Sector C in the camp area.
— Bernama
