Slope repair work in Batang Kali to start end of August, says exco man

SHAH ALAM: The physical work to repair damaged slopes and road on the Batang Kali-Genting Highlands route will start at the end of August and is expected to be completed in March next year.

State Infrastructure and Public Amenities, Agriculture Modernisation and Agro-Based Industry Committee chairman Izham Hashim said the Selangor government has allocated RM19mil for the remedial works.

"After the incident (landslide tragedy), we continued to study and propose solutions to the collapsed slopes. This project was approved in May 2023 and we have appointed (contractors) and it is expected to be completed in March 2024.

"The repair work uses the design and built method. The contractor is in the final phase to finalise the design of the TerraLink wall system. The repair work is expected to start at the end of next month,” he told Bernama here.

Commenting on a statement issued by Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi that his ministry is awaiting comments from the Selangor government, Izham said at the state level, his side is waiting for the report of the landslide investigation committee carried out and managed by the Public Works Department (JKR) headquarters’ slope engineering branch.

"The report is now in the final draft, on the causes of the incident and the proposed actions that need to be implemented,” he said.

Izham said that currently only one lane is open and it is limited to workers in the Genting Highlands area.

The 2.30am tragedy on Dec 16, 2022, involved 92 victims, with 61 of them surviving while 31 were killed, after a landslide buried the Father's Organic Farm camping area in Batang Kali.

The incident claimed the lives of 18 adults and 13 children.