JOHOR BARU: The Federal Government has allocated more than RM2.23mil to the Public Works Department (JKR) this year to maintain the 8.1km long Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL).
The RM1bil expressway has been under the maintenance of Johor JKR since January 2018, after the government took over the EDL from Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB).
Johor works, transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Mohd Solihan Badri said from the allocation, RM1.14mil was for maintenance work while RM831,000 was for cleaning works.
“For future upgrading and repair works, the state JKR has always applied for allocations and will continue to do so on a yearly basis.
“However, all applications to upgrade roads or highways in Johor must be based on the priority of an area,” he said.
Solihan pointed out that besides the EDL, inter-district roads were under the maintenance of JKR except for intercity roads, which fell under the respective local councils jurisdiction.
“If the route is within Johor Baru City Council (MBJB), then they should be responsible for it and it is the same for Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP), Pasir Gudang Municipal Council (MPPG) and Kulai Municipal Council (MPKu),” he said when contacted .
Solihan added that JKR had been proactive in taking care of the expressway.
“This includes ensuring the road condition as well as the streetlights along the EDL stretch are in working order for the safety of users.
“A company has been appointed to carry out repair works including patching potholes along the EDL,” he added.
The EDL, which began construction in 2007 and opened to the public in 2012, has helped ease congestion along the Tebrau highway.
It connects the North-South Expressway at Pandan to the Causeway as well as Pasir Gudang via Permas.
Sumber: The Star