Pasir Gudang folk irked by roadworks

Road users caught in a traffic jam along Pasir Gudang Highway due to road closures and heavy machinery obstructing lanes. — Filepic

In some areas, repairs only last a few days before another fix is required, says councillor

CONSTANT road closures have prompted the public to ask Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG) to review materials used by its contractor for roadworks.

MBPG councillor M. Krishnan said frequent closures had contributed to congestion especially during peak hours.

“There have been complaints about constant roadworks to repair potholes in all 24 MBPG zones because this has increased the travel time of those going to work or school.

“In Taman Rinting, there are weekly roadworks but the repairs would only last about four days before more repairs are needed.

“Either there is an issue with the contractors that the city council has hired or we have to look into the materials that they have been using for the repairs,” he said.

Krishnan said each road closure could cause congestion for up to two hours, depending on the type of repairs.

“We are an industrial city. This means that people need to have a smooth transportation experience when going in and out of Pasir Gudang.”

Krishnan says there are frequent roadworks to repair potholes in all 24 zones of MBPG.

He also suggested the city council look into the possibility of expanding the current cargo train service in Pasir Gudang to handle passengers.

“The city already has a station in Pasir Gudang but it is only used to transport cargo.

“The population in Pasir Gudang will continue to increase and it is high time we introduce a more sustainable mode of public transportation,” he said, adding that this could reduce traffic by 80%.

Krishnan hoped the state government would find a way to expand the tracks to cover all MBPG’s 24 zones.

This, he said, could help reduce the number of heavy vehicles in Pasir Gudang.

“There are also reports regarding lorries being parked in housing areas.

“We can only issue them compounds and cannot tow away these vehicles as we do not have space at the depot.

“We need to find a holistic solution for our congestion issues,” he said.

Pasir Gudang mayor Datuk Asman Shah Abd Rahman said the city council had opened a build-operate-transfer (BOT) tender to develop a heavy vehicle terminal in Jalan Keluli, Pasir Gudang Industrial Area.

“We are waiting for proposals from those who have been selected to manage this project.

“The land space is about 5ha. It will have a budget hotel, restaurant and rest areas for drivers.

“This is one of the first locations and we are also looking at introducing this project at Bandar Seri Alam and Tanjung Langsat,” Asman Shah said.

Under the BOT agreement, the private developer could operate the place for at least 15 years before it was handed over to MBPG, he added.