THE Public Works Department (PWD) is set to begin protection efforts on a Likas slope which has gradually been destabilising over the past four years.
A spokesman for the agency said a contractor had been appointed to undertake this task.
“He collected his ‘surat setuju terima (letter of acceptance)’ earlier this month,” he said.
“The individual will be briefed on the scope of work involving the slope, off Jalan Jenjang.”
He said the agency intended to have a “tembok penahan (retaining wall)” built, with cut-off drains put in place on the incline, as part of the mitigation effort.
“Pile on slabs will be used and soil nails will be embedded in the slope to hold the new wall in place.”
He said a consultant had put together the design for the retaining wall, with the funding for its construction coming from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
The spokesman said the protection efforts were due to get underway within the first week of November.
“Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we tentatively hope to finish building by early 2027.”
He was responding to feedback from a homeowner in Happy Garden about the bits of soil which had been periodically rolling down the slope since 2021.
He said the clods of red earth which fell into his compound, off Jalan Pipit Uban, had ruptured the base of his backyard fence and cracked sections of concrete drain in this part of his house.
On top of causing the value of his property to drop, these landslides made him fearful for the safety of himself and his elderly mother who lived with him.
The individual related these concerns to City Hall 10 days after the most recent incident which took place during the heavy rains which lashed the State Capital in mid-September.
The rate-payer provided Hotline with the location of his house which was forwarded to the City Hall and the PWD.
The spokesman for the former agency said its Engineering staff checked on the condition of Jalan Jenjang, which runs at the top of the slope, shortly after being contacted by the media.
“They theorised that the absorption of water from some hitherto unknown source appeared to be triggering the lateral movement of the hillside,” he said.
“The water is not coming from the surface of the incline. Wherever it is coming from, however, it is draining away the soil and contributing to the incidence of settlement here.”
He said geo-synthetic canvases were subsequently placed over the edges of those of parts of the road where the most critical portions of the slope were located.
“Personnel with our Earthwork Section were present when these sheets were put in place, as were their peers from the PWD’s Slope Unit.”
The spokesman said the two parties later engaged in an informal brainstorming session on potential strategies which could be implemented to ensure that more of the hillside did not give way.
He said the common backyard drain outside the affected homes in Happy Garden, including the complainant’s, was also covered with canvas.
“This was done to prevent the run off from contributing to the destabilisation of the base of the slope. The drain was cleared before the sheets were put on top of the structure.”
He said the government concessionaire had been patching up the trenches which had split the surface of Jalan Jenjang but, so far, this temporary mitigation effort had not prevented the soil beneath the stretch from rolling down the slope.
“In the interest of public safety, City Hall’s Earthwork officers will continue to monitor the goings-on in Happy Garden.”
