PUB Rolls Out More Drainage Improvement Projects To Alleviate Floods

TENGKU NOOR SHAMSIAH ABDULLAH SINGAPORE, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- As part of its ongoing drainage improvement programme, PUB, the national water agency has scheduled 10 major drainage projects for 2012. In a statement, PUB said the projects are part of its efforts to alleviate floods in flood-prone areas and upgrade old drainage infrastructure. Among these are eight projects which will commence in the first quarter of 2012. Five of the projects involve expanding the roadside drains at the following flood-prone areas namely South Bridge Road, North Canal Road, Upper Hokien Street and Upper Pickering Street, Bencoolen Street, Prinsep Street and Rochor Road (from Waterloo Street to Bencoolen Street), Admiralty Road West and Neo Pee Teck Lane, First Lok Yang Road, Arab Street and Rochor Canal Road. It said as part of its programme to improve drainage infrastructure, PUB will also improve drainage in three other projects at non-flood prone areas. It includes road raising at Jalan Dusun, Jalan Datoh and Jalan Raja Udang, expansion of drains at Shanghai Road and Wee Nam Road and expansion of drains at Outram Road and Tiong Bahru Road. The works will commence in the first quarter of 2012 and are expected to be completed in 2013. PUB continues to spend about S$150 million each year improving existing drainage to increase flood protection. -- BERNAMA