Tanah Rata floods not caused by bypass project, says JKR

The flash floods and landslides that occurred at several areas in Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, on Friday were not caused by the bypass road project, the public works department (JKR) said.

It said the project remains in the design and assessment study stage, and no physical construction has been carried out on-site, other than routine maintenance on existing roads.

It was responding to concerns raised regarding flash flood incidents and landslides following heavy rain at several locations in Cameron Highlands, including calls for the temporary suspension of the bypass road project.

The project involves the construction of the Tanah Rata bypass road, the upgrading of the federal road from Tanah Rata to Kea Farm, and the upgrading of another federal road, Jalan Griddle.

In a statement, the department said preliminary checks indicate that the flooding at the Mardi park and public field areas in Tanah Rata occurred on secondary roads, which are not part of the main road alignment involved in the project.

However, a small-scale landslide did occur at Jalan Tengkolok, an area falling under the scope of routine maintenance by the project contractor.

Debris clearing operations were carried out immediately and have been completed to ensure the safety and smooth flow of traffic for road users, it said.

“The works ministry takes seriously all concerns regarding slope safety, geological conditions, drainage systems, and disaster risks,” it said.

“The implementation of this project is subject to all assessments, approvals, and technical conditions stipulated by the relevant authorities, including the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Social Impact Assessment (SIA), geotechnical requirements, and local authority approvals.

“Physical construction work will only commence once all approvals and relevant approvals and conditions have been met.”

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