KUALA KRAI (Aug 2): A total of 1,687 active projects costing RM72.61 billion under the Public Works Department have been implemented this year, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said.

He added that the projects include road infrastructure, bridges and buildings such as dilapidated schools.

"Until July, 87 projects have been completed, with 34 of them being infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges, 42 building construction, and 11 of them other projects.

"The government is always committed to completing all projects implemented for the betterment of the people,” he said after visiting the Sungai Durian bridge replacement at Jalan Persekutuan FT008 here on Friday.

He also shared that 88 projects costing RM7.9 billion are still under construction in Kelantan, and that 38 of them are building projects, with the rest involving infrastructure such as roads and bridges.

"Most of the projects are expected to be completed on schedule, with each period being between 24 and 36 months, depending on the project type.

"We will always monitor these projects carefully, so that there are no delays or problems that will disrupt the period allotted for the project to be completed,” he said.

On the Sungai Durian bridge replacement project, Nanta said that the physical progress as of July 15 was 39%, with a contract cost of RM16 million and expected completion in July next year.

"The aim of replacing the bridge is to overcome traffic problems on the main route from Kota Bharu to Kuala Lumpur, as the existing bridge is narrow and old.

"This project can also solve the problem of roads being cut off, as the existing bridge is too low to cope with flooding during the rainy season,” he added.

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