BAGAN DATUK, Jan 23 — The delay in the construction of the Bagan Datuk-Sejagop bridge here that will connect Bagan Datuk to Kampung Sejagop in the Perak Tengah district has been overcome and is now expected to be completed before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said road users will be able to travel along the 10.5-kilometre (km) road and 1.5 km-bridge which is an iconic project in Perak on April 20.
“We hope the project will be completed fully soon, not only for the benefit of the Pasir Salak and Bagan Datuk Parliamentary constituencies but including those in Manjung and everyone in Perak can use the bridge to travel to Kuala Lumpur.
“With the completion of the bridge and the West Coast Expressway (WCE), the travel time to and from Kuala Lumpur will only take about 90 minutes,” he told reporters after visiting the project site of the bridge, here today.
Ahmad Zahid said the construction of the RM400 million bridge started at the end of 2016 and was supposed to be completed by October 2020, but the project suffered an unavoidable delay due to the Movement Control Order (MCO), price hike on raw material and lack of labour force and weather.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister who is also the Bagan Datuk Member of Parliament, the project was now 97 per cent completed and once completed fully it will help in the development of the surrounding areas as well as encourage investors to come here.
“I have held several discussions with companies. God willing, the initiative will help create about 4,000 new jobs in the first stage and will continue to benefit the area and create more job opportunities and investment.
“Apart from factories there will also be commercial development and housing projects because with development comes the need for accommodation and once people go to work, they have the buying power.
