PROBLEM CULVERT AT KAMPUNG TANAKI PENAMPANG REPLACED, BUT... REPLACEMENT MAYBE WORSE

 

The ORIFICE culver of Kampung Tanaki, Penampang 

 

In situ concrete box culvert under construction but terrible workmanship 

 

PENAMPANG.  A flood-causing concrete culvert pipe less than 1 metre diameter under a high embankment road at Kg Tanaki here, is finally being replaced.

Installed when the road was built about 3 decades ago, crossing a rivulet in the village, the undersized culvert bluntly called  "orifice" is not to JKR specification, hence easily clogged causing flooding upstream. Pic 1.

Daily reported the village was still flooded under hot sun on 16 February when Member of Parliament Datuk Ewon Benedict and Kapayan Assemblywoman Janie Lasimbang came to inspect after being informed by the residents.

The upgrading works though welcomed is causing massive traffic jams during peak hours, though temporary may still take 2 months to complete.  Residents nearby said its unnecesary waste of time and taxpayers money compared to installing the proper culvert size earlier.  In addition,  excavation and filling up of a good road also damaged water pipelines to the villagers.

Tunelling under the high road embankment is either too expensive or  technology not available, a netizen said.

Adding further worries, the in-situ casting of a concrete box culvert by a new contractor is described as "Very Bad Workmanship" by retired JKR engineer and an experienced contractor.  As seen in pic 2, the concreting seemed to be mixing with soil while the two layers of BRC reinforcings have no spacing. Hence the concrete cube test taken on site is meaningless, according to another engineer.

Netizens are also asking how long will this new culvert last before collapsing.  They also request the government to monitor all other culverts being installed especially the Pan Borneo project which has been alleged to cause floods.