PROBE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF LUYANG FLYOVER DEFECT

19 JAN 2021

KOTA KINABALU: An in-depth Investigation on the cracked and dislocated Luyang Flyover is necessary to determine the root cause, said Kota Kinabalu MP

Chan who is also the DAP Sabah Secretary in a statement said this is because rectification alone is not enough and it is vital that the investigation be conducted in an independent and transparent manner.

“The probe must be conducted in an independent and transparent manner, with the public interest always the top priority and the public has every right to know the truth.

“It is only with such transparency that we can learn from mistakes,” he said in a statement today.

Chan explained that the dislocated Luyang flyover is part of the first phase (Phase 1) of the road widening and upgrading works along the 21.6km Jalan Lintas from the Tuaran by-pass to the airport.

The construction cost of the Luyang flyover was approximately RM250 million, and it was completed and opened to public at the end of 2017.

He added that it is totally unacceptable and unreasonable for any major infrastructure constructed in town to be found unsafe to the public, just after three years in use.

“After 48 hours of the Luyang Flyover dislocation image going viral on social media and two press statements by Luyang Assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe urging Deputy Chief Minister cum Public Works Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin together with Public Works Department (PWD) to take necessary actions to ensure the safety of the flyover for road users, a satisfactory answer from the relevant authorities have yet to be seen, and this it shows an utter lack of urgency in addressing this serious road safety issue.

“So far, the PWD has acknowledged that the problem was “quite serious”, and that this was the first ramp which they had encountered with such problems.

“PWD then said that they have set up a committee to look into the fractured section of the flyover located at Hilltop and to formulate a permanent rectification with minimum disruption to the existing traffic flows,” he added.

However, Chan also called the public to not simply blame any party before understanding the design part and its construction method. These could be checked from the tender and construction drawing, and PWD’s record of construction.

“From the feedback received on the ground, it is suspected that this ‘cracking’ may be due to ground settlement which may have been caused by the movement of heavy vehicles, leading to vibration.

“It could also be due to underground soil movement. Hereby, settlement monitoring should be conducted by relevant independent specialists,” he said.

According to PWD, cement grouting is used to repair the fractured section of the flyover, which is a process whereby cement is injected under pressure to fill fractures and voids in concrete structures.

He stated that many have doubts over the method, simply because the root of settlement issues is at the foundation of the flyover itself. Further study is necessary in determining the real cause and its rectification.

“Heads must roll over Luyang Flyover dislocation if it is proven that the settlement is not an Act of God. We should ensure the real culprits must be identified and be held responsible for it, be it a design failure or construction overlook or negligence,” he added.