The order came at a meeting with officials with officials and traffic police at Provincial Hall yesterday (June 21).
“People should be the least affected by the construction, and so I have ordered the contractors in each area to come up with plans to keep traffic moving,” V/Gov Chokdee said after the meeting.
Updates on the progress made at each underpass site were also presented at the meeting, he added.
“We were told that construction of the Sam Kong Underpass is about 80 per cent complete. The project is 19% behind schedule,” V/Gov Chokdee said.
“Construction at Bang Khu (at the junction of Thepkrasattri Rd and the bypass road) is 49% complete, and 22% ahead of schedule.
“But construction of the Chalong Underpass is only 2% complete, and already 10% behind schedule,” he added.
“Limited space seems to be a problem at the the Bang Khu underpass. Regardless, the contractor was told to make more room or add another lane to reduce traffic congestion near the construction area because traffic is very bad especially during rush hours,” V/Gov Chokdee said.
“For the Chalong Underpass, the delay is due to the removal of public utilities and issues with land ownership. The latter can take some times to resolve,” he said.
The order to keep traffic moving comes just days ahead of Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad transferring out of Phuket, to Trang, effective Friday (June 24).
“I have been serving in Phuket for more than four years. It is that time when government moved official around,” Mr Samak told The Phuket News “I am heading to Trang at the end of this month to serve the Highways Office there.”
“I have to report to Trang Highways office this Friday (June 24). Phuket will have a new director, Patiwetwutisak Sukkhee from Prachuap Kiri Khan, who will be here to take over my office.”
Asked about the current road construction projects in Phuket, Mr Samak said, “The Sam Kong Underpass is nearly complete and the whole project should be done by the end of July. Workers are now resurfacing the roads around the tunnel, while the tunnel itself is open to traffic in both directions.
“The work is slow going right now due to the rain, but once we get the electrical system and the pump installed, we will be alright.”
Regarding the delay in acquiring the land in order to launch into the Chalong Underpass, Mr Samak noted, “We have to compensate people living near the construction site and get them relocated before work can start.”
Mr Samak added that his office has already found contractors to build two flyovers on Thepkrasattri Rd in Thalang: one at the Thalang Intersection and one in front of Thao Thepkrasattri School. (See story here.)
“The only thing now is to wait for the budget to be approved by the central government. Construction to begin by late July or August,” he said.