IPOH: The Work ministry is looking at ways and means to reduce the financial burden of the toll hike scheduled for Jan 1.

"We are working on several proposals to be submitted to the cabinet," Minister Datuk Seri Vallu said here yesterday.

He said the government was contractually bound to allow the hike under the agreements with eight highway concessionaires.

IPOH: Malaysians can expect a 10% increase in toll rates, with eight concessionaires raising their charges form Jan 1 next year, said Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

However, he said the ministry was working on several proposals to spread part of the cost the concessionaire and the Government.

"Rather than burden the people, we want to divide the load so the companies carry a bit and the people a bit.

WORK Minister Datuk S. Samy Vellu said there will be a spillover effect when the RM 489.5 million Trans-Eastern  Kedah Interland Trans-Eastern Highway is completed in two years.State ?owned Bina Darulaman Bhd (BDB) is the main contractor for the 116 km toll-free highway job, which will connect Durian Burung to Baling.

"When the highways is completed, we expect new infrastructure, housing and industrial development in the are," Samy Vellu toll Business Times at the launch of Stevens TPO roofing membrane system in Kuala Lumpur last  Thursday.

KUALA LUMPUR-  Kementerian Kerjaraya mencadangkan lapan syarikat konsesi dan kerajaan masing-masing menyerap sebahagian kenaikan 10 peratus kadar tol yang sepatutnya dilaksanakan Januari depan,supaya tidak membebankan pengguna, kata Menterinya, Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu.

Beliau berkata, kementerian berharap kerajaan dan syarikat konsesi bertolak ansur dan berkongsi sama rata peningkatan terbabit walaupun perjanjian konsesi membenarkan kenaikan 10 peratus.

PARIT - Setelah melihat sendiri empat penunggang motosikal berkuasa besar berlumba di Lebuh Raya Utara-Selatan kelmarin, Menteri Kerja Raya, Datuk Seri Samy Vellu berkata, kerajaan mungkin mengharamkan motosikal daripa menggunakan lebuh raya jika mereka ini mengaancam nyawa pengguna lain.

Beliau berkata, langkah drastik itu terpaksa diambil jika penunggang morosikal terus mengabaikan undang-undang dengan berlumba di lebuh raya.

KUALA LUMPUR: The speed limit on federal and state roads will be reduced by 10kph to 20kph for three weeks during the Hari Raya festive period. 

Anyone going beyond 80kph will be booked. The present speed limit on state and federal roads is 90kph.

The decision was made by a committee headed by the Works Ministry tasked with finding ways to reduce accidents on the roads during Hari Raya.

Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the committee?s goal was an accident-free Hari Raya this year.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Storm-water Management and Road Tunnel (Smart) justified its RM2 billion waters form the city on Monday.

The tunnel diverted more than 550,000 cubic metres of rain water which would have flooded parts of the city.

The success proved a double celebration for Smart as it was also the tunnel's first flood diversion exercise since its completion in late June.

"Monday's incident proved that Smart was capable of battling flash floods," said Kuala Lumpur flood mitigation project director John Abraham.

KUALA LUMPUR 5 Sep. - Operasi pertama pengalihan air menggunaka Terowong Jalan dan Pengurusan Air Banjir (SMART) pada Isnin lalu berjaya mengelak beberapa kawasan sekitar ibu negara daripada dilanda banjir.

Pengarah Projek Tebatan Banjir Kuala Lumpur, Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS), K. J. Abraham berkata, air di Sungai Klang dan Ampang yang naik mendadak ekoran hujan lebat selama enam jam pada hari tersebut berjaya dialihkan ke Kolam Takungan Kampung Berembang.

KUALA LUMPUR: Sembilan kontraktor yang gagal menyiapkan projek termasuk Lebuh Raya Pantai Timur (LPT) Fasa 2, akan ditamatkan kontrak keseluruhan bernilai RM518 juta jika tidak menunjukkan sebarang kemajuan projek dalam tempoh sebulan, bermula semalam. 

Amaran keras itu adalah tindakan drastik dan terbesar Kementerian Kerjaraya menangani kerenah kontraktor yang gagal menepati jadual pembinaan hingga menyebabkan banyak projek terbengkalai walaupun sudah menerima notis amaran. 

KUALA LUMPUR: Contractors whose projects are delayed may see their contracts terminated. 

Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said nine contractors were given final warning letters yesterday after a consensus in the cabinet on the matter.

He warned contractors to commence work or provide reasonable explanation within a month, or face the sack.

"We have issued them several warnings," he said after launching the "First Class Work Culture" campaign in his ministry.