KOTA KINABALU: The Pan Borneo Highway project delivery partner, Borneo Highway PDP Sdn Bhd (BHP) is confident that the Phase 1 of the project can be completed by Dec 31, 2021.

BHP managing director, Ir Shahelmey Yahya said that the works on the 706km highway are divided into 35 packages, seven of which have been awarded to contractors where construction works on the five are currently ongoing.

He said 10 more packages are still awaiting approval before being awarded by the end of the year, while 18 more will be awarded in the first quarter of 2018.

According to him, the land issue has been the main challenge in the project implementation, followed by the relocation of utility infrastructures such as water pipes, electricity and telephone cables.

"The Land and Survey Department is handling the land issues, and for this project, BHP will be doing the utility infrastructures relocation to expedite the process, and the cost will be borne by the respective utility companies.

"We have learnt from the problems we encountered in the implementation of the five packages, so we can avoid them in the rest of the packages" he told media practitioners at the BHP luncheon.

Shahelmey also disclosed that the Phase One of the project consists of southwest stretch from Sindumin to Papar, the Kota Kinabalu Outer Ring Road from Putatan to Berungis roundabout in Tuaran, northwest stretch from Kampung Serusup in Tuaran to Simpang Mangayau in Kudat, southeast stretch from Tawau to Lahad Datu, northeast stretch from Lahad Datu to Mile 32 in Sandakan, and central stretch from Mile 32 to Ranau.

The said all the stretches will be dual lane dual carriageway except for the 114 km northwest stretch which will be single lane dual carriageway.

The stretch from Tebobon in Menggatal to the Berungis roundabout, he said will be built in three-lane dual carriageway.

When asked about the quality of the highway, he said that it is a partial access control highway that complies with the Work Ministry's Rural 5 standard, and the design speed will be 90 km per hour.

He said that BHP will start conducting education programmes among road users next year to educate them on highway driving etiquettes and safety.