SUNGAI BULOH (Nov 4): The narrow structure of the old bridge along Jalan Gajah Utama in Kubu Gajah, which restricted the water flow, has been identified as one of the contributing factors to its collapse across Sungai Subang early Wednesday morning.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the situation arose following the completion of a flood mitigation plan project along Sungai Subang, which widened the river channel to 40 metres, while the existing bridge retained its original, narrower structure.
He said a combination of prolonged heavy rainfall, rising river levels and high tide late Tuesday night caused a surge of strong water currents, resulting in the bridge collapsing at about 2am on Wednesday.
“The collapse affected a stretch of about 20 metres and caused water to overflow into a nearby residential area, affecting about 50 families so far.
“Since the river has been widened, it is time for the bridge to be replaced,” he told reporters after visiting the site on Wednesday.
On immediate remedial measures, Amirudin said a 35-metre temporary Bailey bridge would be installed to restore access for local residents.
He said the temporary bridge would be sourced from the state government's existing stock, without incurring any rental costs.
“Installation is expected to begin within the next one to two days, once the relevant authorities have completed the relocation of utility poles.
“The installation work is expected to take between two and three weeks. In the meantime, road users can use alternative routes identified by the Public Works Department,” he said.
As a long-term solution, Amirudin said approval had been obtained for the construction of a new permanent bridge costing about RM20 million.
Construction is scheduled to begin early next year and is expected to take up to two years to complete, partly due to the need to relocate utility infrastructure.
The bridge collapse has completely severed the main route connecting Kampung Kubu Gajah to Paya Jaras Hilir, rendering it inaccessible to all types of vehicles and affecting more than 1,000 residents in the surrounding communities.
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