JOHOR BARU: Kukup is expected to enjoy a meteoric rise in tourism, with the completion of the Sungai Pulai bridge.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the bridge would spring board the underrated fishing settlement that boasts one of the largest mangrove islands in the world.
"It would stimulate the ecotourism industry of Tanjung Piai and Kukup especially in terms of Singaporean tourists," he said during a visit to the bridge here today.
The 7.5km bridge that will be opened today evening, links Kukup, Tanjung Bin, Tanjung Piai in the Pontian district to Gelang Patah in Johor Baru.
Traveling times from these areas, which were previously 60 to 90 minutes, have been reduced to 15 to 30 minutes.
The opening which coincides with the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations, is also expected to ease congestion on Johor roads which is expected to host 4 million vehicles during the period.
Onn Ghazi said the improved connectivity between districts will also create a strong economic multiplier effect for the surrounding areas in Gelang Patah and Pontian.
"The opening of the bridge will also position Pontian as a new socio-economic hub in Johor which is a major destination for economic investment.
He said various employment and economic activities, an increase in property value, as well as promotion and development of local areas would follow.
Work on the RM800 million dual lane and carriageway bridge that provides direct access from Tanjung Pelepas in Gelang Patah and Tanjung Bin in Pontian began in 2017 under a state partnership with MMC Group.
The project was scheduled for completion in October 2021 but was delayed due to the Movement Control Order.
The bridge is also equipped with a 100-metre-wide navigation clearance for ship passage.
Present were former Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang, MMC Group operations director Tan Sri Che Khalid Mohamad Noh and former Johor MB Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad.
