Bangkok intersection project expedited for August completion amid safety concerns

The Bangkok City Administration, led by Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, has instructed the contracting company of the Na Ranong Bangkok intersection flyover project to expedite the delayed construction and ensure its completion by the end of this month.

Pedestrians have been faced with risk by an unfinished footbridge under the flyover. The previous infrastructure was removed, leading pedestrians to risk their safety by crossing the roads whilst waiting on the new footbridge.

Sahakarn Wisavakorn Company, the contracting firm responsible for the 1.34 billion baht project, has assured that the pending tasks would be finished by August 15 at the latest. Despite the flyover being operational from June 1, some aspects of the Bangkok intersection project were left incomplete. The contractor and the footbridge builder incurred daily fines of 3.3 million baht, with the fines to remain in place until the project’s completion by August 15, reported Bangkok Post.

A deadline extension for the completion of the Bangkok intersection project was given to the contractor by the cabinet to alleviate the significant impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the company’s operations, revealed Anurak Rattanachotpanit, the chief engineer overseeing the flyover construction project. He acknowledged that the company was financially affected by the pandemic, causing a delay due to labour shortage.

Governor Chadchart indicated several unfinished elements during his recent survey of the construction site, post the flyover’s inauguration on June 1. Besides constructing the new footbridge in place of the old one demolished for constructing the flyover, manholes and cable-protecting pipes underground remains incomplete, he noted.

The 57 year old city chief has ordered the Department of Public Works under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to promptly complete the remaining works. He stressed that the road underneath the flyover shall be made accessible to motorists by this month’s end, and the concrete barriers preventing the use of the zebra crossing under the footbridge will be removed.

Sixty-three-year-old Phirapat Namruamwong, who resides near the intersection, expressed his concern about the footbridge’s absence. He said…

“This intersection spans a large area, without a footbridge, it poses a significant danger for pedestrians crossing the road.”

He expounded that the zebra crossings were inadequate for safe pedestrian crossing, with many required to cross more than one zebra crossing.

Phirapat added that echoing the sentiments of other locals, the dismantled footbridge was popular because of the intersection’s heavy traffic. Anurak confessed that the placement of concrete barriers near the zebra crossing was an oversight due to miscommunication between workers and their supervisors, which is now under rectification.