KOTA KINABALU: Heavy flooding at the end of May has caused major damage to the railway track near Tenom resulting in the temporary suspension of service for the Tenom-Pangi and Rayoh route.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin disclosed that the repair work will take time and that emergency work is ongoing.
According to the Works Minister, severe damage and landslide occurred at Km 114 in Rayoh and Km 124 and Km 130 of the Pangi track.
“Emergency works are being carried out now and expected to be completed within two months. However, we hope the contractor can temporarily realign the track to enable services to resume as soon as possible,” he said.
Bung was commenting on the video that went viral on social media of affected villagers who invented their own ‘trolley motorcycles’ to travel to Tenom town to buy essential goods and send their crops to the market.
According to Bung, the State Railway Department has provided an ‘inspection trolley’ (IT) in Rayoh and Pangi respectively as a replacement for the train service.
This is because only the inspection trolley can pass through the damaged track area from Km 135, he said, adding that the villagers will travel by the trolley to Km1 35 before boarding the diesel multiple unit (DMU) for Tenom.
Bung said that the trolley’s maximum capacity is eight people and is available round the clock in case of emergency.
“The state Railway Department is working to increase the number of trolleys in the affected areas and in the event of any emergencies, the public there can contact the department for assistance,” he said.
Bung appealed for the villagers to be patient as the department is working hard to repair the tracks which were damaged during the natural disaster.