KT bypass expected to be completed early, opening this April - Fadillah

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Kuala Terengganu (KT) Bypass is expected to be completed ahead of schedule, and will open to road users this April, said Senior Works Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He said the bypass project, costing RM220 million, was originally expected to be completed in September, but its progress so far has reached almost 92 per cent.

"In a briefing by the contractor, they gave their commitment to complete the project ahead of schedule with a target of completion this April.

"Hopefully, there will be no more problems after this, and (KT Bypass) can be opened to the public," he told reporters after inspecting the construction of the Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) Teaching Hospital in Gong Badak and the KT Bypass projects here today.

He said the KT Bypass project, which commenced in 2016, was delayed for a long time due to several technical problems such as the land acquisition process, the design that needed to be improved and the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fadillah said that all the issues had been successfully resolved and the implementation of the project, which would benefit more than 70,000 residents, especially around Bandar Baru Bukit Besar, was running smoothly.

He added that the KT Bypass, which stretches almost six kilometres, can save road users 30 minutes because it can disperse traffic from entering Kuala Terengganu city centre.

He said the new four-lane bypass, from Tok Molor junction, Kuala Ibai and ending at Kampung Durian Burung, would also reduce congestion in the city centre and speed up the journey of road users from Kuantan, Pahang to Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Meanwhile, Fadillah said the construction project of the UniSZA Teaching Hospital, costing RM281 million, was fully completed on Dec 11 last year.

He also said that his ministry is now waiting for the date to hand over the hospital to the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), and it was expected to offer services to the public in stages starting this April.

-- BERNAMA