Miri Sentral Bus Terminal project expected to be completed by year-end

Lee (left) in a discussion with the project contractor during the inspection on Miri’s new bus terminal.

MIRI (Nov 7): The construction of the Miri Sentral Bus Terminal at Miri Bypass is expected to reach completion by the end of this December.

According to Minister of Transport Sarawak Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, the works progress of the city’s RM26-million facility is now at 97 per cent.

“The works are expected to be completed by the end of next month, and it would be handed over to Miri City Council (MCC) in January.

“After that, it’s up to MCC to decide how to manage the terminal,” said Lee when met by reporters at the project site yesterday.

Joining the Senadin assemblyman during the inspection were Mayor Adam Yii, the MCC engineering team and representatives of the project’s technical advisor group.

During the inspection, Lee requested the contractor to make some minor improvements and modifications to the project.

He also told his ministry officials and MCC to ensure proper management of the bus terminal, which would accommodate long-haul buses connecting Kuching and Indonesia in the future.

At the same time, he said there was also a need for the bus terminal to have sufficient public parking spaces.

He also said to ensure efficient traffic flow, it would be necessary to upgrade the currently single-lane Jalan Cahaya into a dual-carriageway.

“My ministry actually has already put up three proposals to upgrade Jalan Cahaya, Jalan Padang Kerbau and the Pujut link road, connecting to Pujut Corner, into dual-carriageways, in view of the heavy traffic flow in these areas.

“My ministry will liaise with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development to make these three projects a priority.”

The new bus terminal would have 12 ticket counters, 10 shop units, 21 bus platforms, two cafés, 12 taxi bays, waiting areas as well as public toilets.

Meanwhile Yii, who is Pujut assemblyman, said the new terminal bus would replace the present facility at Pujut Corner, which the council planned to convert into a wholesale and seasonal fruit market.